N. Korea denies role in DMZ mine attack

North Korea on Saturday demanded that the South halt anti-North propaganda broadcasts via loudspeakers along the border or face military action, a day after it denied Seoul’s accusation that it planted landmines that wounded two South Korean soldiers.

UPI reports Kim Jong Un ordered the execution of Vice Premier Choe Yong Gon.

In April 2015, North Korea’s former defense chief Hyun Yong-chol is believed to have been publicly executed “in front of an audience of hundreds” for being disloyal toward Kim, Yonhap reports.

South Korean veterans burn placards of the North Korean flag and its leader Kim Jong-un during a protest in Paju on Thursday denouncing a recent landmine attack at a military checkpoint near the demilitarised zone dividing the two Koreas.

A North Korean official official who objected against leader Kim Jong-un’s forestation policies was reportedly executed by firing squad in May.

An image of Peoples’ Army troops shooting at a target showing the face of President Park Geun-hye was shown on Korean Central Television on August 12 in an apparent attempt to stir up anti-South Korea sentiment.

She urged Pyongyang to “wake up” from the delusion that it could maintain its regime with provocation and threats, which she claimed would result only in the North’s isolation and destruction.

The North has not officially confirmed Hyon’s execution but announced his replacement, Pak Yong Sik, in July.

North Korea regularly bristles at attempts to penetrate the country with outside information – indeed there was an exchange of machine gun fire at the border last year after activists tried to float leaflet-laden air balloons northwards.

Choe is reported to have taken office in June a year ago. Kim Jong-un also was very critical of officials for seeking to respond to problems which were caused by flooding instead of working to prevent flooding by planting more trees.

North Korea has made it clear that they view the retaliation of the South as uncalled for.

This would not by any means be the first military parade staged by the country, which is known for its grandiose celebrations of its leader and the government.

The majority of escape attempts are made across the border with China, given the fact the the border with South Korea is heavily militarized and subject to heavy surveillance from both sides.

The mine blasts came as cross-border tensions were already heating up ahead of a two-week long South Korea-US wargame that simulates an invasion by North Korea.