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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Evacuation drills start in North Korea, overseas troops return |
| 2015-08-22 |
| On August 20th, North Korea fired projectiles toward a South Korean loudspeaker blasting anti-Pyongyang messages and declared “a quasi-state of war.” South Korea fired dozens of artillery rounds toward the North in retaliation. According to sources within the North, the onset of these developments has seen not only North Korean soldiers but also residents called to carry out related drills, Daily NK has learned. “We [residents] were ordered to attend an evacuation drill [which usually involves heading to the mountains] today [August 21, KST] without any explanation. Everyone is full of questions and complaints, saying that they’re ‘spinning around like tops,’ seeing as how busy everyone is focusing on harvesting with a decided lack of manpower,” a source in South Pyongan Province reported to Daily NK today. Daily NK spoke with an additional source in the same province who corroborated this news. “Troops stationed nearby [the source’s region] were relocated yesterday [particulars of which have been redacted for the source’s protection], raising people’s belief in the possibility of an active war,” she said. However, she added that citizens are hoping that things will die down in this latest round of tensions, much like they have in the past. Moreover, soldiers dispatched to Sinuiju for the purpose of earning in foreign currency have been called back home to shore up military power. The borders are awash with tension as troops there stand at the ready, fully armed and poised to carry out orders without a moment’s hesitation. In fact, “it seems like some of them do believe in the upper’s [authorities’] assertion that the ‘South Chosun [South Korea] puppet regime attacked the North,” she noted. On the escalation of tensions along the Sino-North Korea border, the source explained, “Although the Sino-North Korea border is geographically situated far from the DMZ, it’s just as dangerous as the inter-Korean border during a national emergency.” This is because the China-North Korea border serves as the conduit through which North Korean defectors flee the country as well the portal for an influx of products and media content from the outside world. For this reason, “it’s imperative that the military be fully alert in this region,” she asserted. An additional source from North Pyongan Province also weighed in on the current climate, noting, “Given that the state announced this 'quasi-state of war,' it’s safe to say that these evacuation drills will be nationwide.” Still, he added, most citizens think the aggravations will dissipate and all these declarations and drills will have served only to deal a blow to the harvest. Consequently, some are determined to do whatever they can to evade the drills. Others, however, are more wary. “Things under Kim Jong Un are really different than before [under Kim Jong Il], and even the slightest change in attitude could get you punished so a lot of people are just doing what they can to protect themselves,” he concluded. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #2 (Sigh) Screaming rhetoric, as usual. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2015-08-22 15:16 |
| #1 "projectiles"? Like rocks? Snowballs? Artillery shells. Fucking morons in the press distorting the news. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2015-08-22 08:59 |