N. Korea reportedly begins a military mobilization

But some observers see moves as routine

In This Story:

• A similar exercise last year
• Limited entry during mobilization
• Crossed dividing line by mistake

March 13, 1998
Web posted at: 2:48 a.m. EST (0748 GMT)

BEIJING (CNN) -- North Korea reportedly has entered a state of "wartime mobilization," but the moves don't appear to be unusual, according to a diplomat and an aid worker based in Pyongyang.

The reported mobilization follows an incident early Thursday when South Korea soldiers fired warning shots toward North Korea soldiers who apparently crossed the heavily-guarded demilitarized zone separating the two countries, according to the Defense Ministry.

The mobilization was imposed late Thursday for the war games, which were being held out of concern over growing foreign military threats, China's state-run news agency, Xinhua, quoted North Korea Deputy Foreign Minister Li In Gyu as saying Friday in Pyongyang.

A similar exercise last year

The Pyongyang-based diplomat told Reuters by telephone that the moves were "nothing unusual."

"Over the past few years we have had military exercises at this time of year," the diplomat told Reuters. "The difference was that at 9:30 this morning, we had sirens going off and people had to move into air raid shelters and the capital was swept clean."

An international aid worker based in Pyongyang also said military maneuvers were not unusual, and that North Korea had been staging military exercises for almost two weeks.. He said there was no obvious increase in the military presence in Pyongyang and that no curfew had been announced.

"Last year when I was here there was a similar exercise," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

He said there was no obvious increase in the military presence in Pyongyang and that no curfew had been announced.

A Western resident of Pyongyang said the official mobilization began at 10 a.m. Friday when sirens sounded throughout the city. People cleared the street to take shelter and camouflage netting was draped over vehicles.

The resident said there had been signs for the past 10 days that such an exercise was likely, with paramilitary units drilling and piles of netting being laid out. He said the atmosphere was not particularly tense, and he is convinced that despite its dramatic nature, it is simply a routine exercise.

Limited entry during mobilization

A government statement distributed to diplomats and international residents announced the wartime mobilization state.

"This means that the wartime system and order applies not only to the regular armed forces, but also to the national economy and overall social life," said the statement.

Non-nationals were told that during the mobilization period, Pyongyang would limit entry to the country to North Korea nationals and that only international residents with official business would be allowed to travel outside the capital.

"The command of military exercises should give a case-by-case permission to any request to visit the local areas," the statement said.

The reports of mobilization followed unconfirmed rumors of troop movements and possible armed clashes in Pyongyang, but they did not cause immediate alarm in rival South Korea.

South Korea's Defense Ministry on Friday denied that North Korea had launched a wartime alert, saying the North's activities appeared to be a standard military exercise.

A U.S. military official said that the United States had not been informed of any war mobilization in North Korea.

South Korean soldiers patrol the demilitarized zone

Crossed dividing line by mistake

In the Thursday incident, Defense Ministry officials said the North Koreans appeared to have crossed into the southern side of the demilitarized zone by mistake.

The North Koreans took no hostile action and withdrew to their side of the 2.5 mile (4 kilometers) wide buffer zone 17 minutes after the shots were fired, ministry officials said Friday.

Soldiers of both sides regularly patrol the DMZ and exchanges of warning shots are common.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Related stories:

• North Korea suggested Perot as mediator in MIA dispute - September 30, 1997
• North Korea pulls out of missile talks with U.S. - August 27, 1997
• Two high-level North Korean defectors granted asylum in U.S. - Aug. 26, 1997
• North Korean defectors may have missile information - August 26, 1997
• Key nuclear project launched in North Korea - August 19, 1997
• South Korean leader: Relations with North are improving - August 15, 1997
• Thousands rally for Korea reunification - August 14, 1997

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