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The Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on July 1 that marine radio communications with North Korea were being resumed to help prevent accidental clashes in the West (Yellow) Sea. The MND released a video on the same day showing sailors aboard a South Korean patrol ship near Yeonpyeong Island using the international merchant marine communication network. (provided by MND)
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Could prevent accidental clashes near NLL in West Sea
After 10 years of disuse, South and North Korea have resumed ship-to-ship radio communication, which can be seen as a hotline for preventing accidental clashes between South and North Korean military vessels around the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West (Yellow) Sea. “The South and North Korean militaries have normalized operation of the global merchant marine communication network in order to prevent unplanned clashes in the West Sea as part of implementing the terms agreed to during the Panmunjeom Declaration and during the 8th inter-Korean general-level military talks,” South Korea’s Ministry of Defense said on July 1. In a video released by the Defense Ministry, a South Korean patrol ship near Yeonpyeong Island used the international merchant marine communication network (the shared maritime mobile band) at 9 am on July 1 to say, “Mt. Baekdu 1, Mt. Baekdu 1, this is Mt. Halla. How do you read me, over.” A North Korean patrol ship immediately responded by saying, “Mt. Halla 1, Mt. Halla 1, this is Mt. Baekdu 1. I read you loud and clear, over.” South and North Korean ships first used the maritime mobile band in the West Sea on June 14, 2004, and then discontinued its use in May 2008. The communication network has finally been reactivated after 10 years. “Along with reconnecting the military communication telephone lines, restoring the international merchant marine communication network in the West Sea can be regarded as a significant step toward faithfully implementing the military agreements reached during the Panmunjeom Declaration,” the Defense Ministry said.
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South and North Korean military offices shake hands before discussing the resumption of marine radio communications during talks at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Office (CIQ) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on June 25.
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