S Korea Fears Provocations From N Korea During Traditional Harvest Holiday

Sputnik News

14:04 30.09.2017(updated 14:07 30.09.2017)

The Yonhap news agency said Saturday citing a military source that the South Korean military was on high alert in view of possible provocations from the North.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The South Korean military is on high alert amid potential provocations by Pyongyang during the traditional Chuseok holiday, which coincides with North Korean ruling party's founding anniversary, local media reported Saturday, citing a military source.

"Since North Korea can carry out provocations at any time, we are constantly on alert and ready to respond immediately… We are closely monitoring any movement in the North's military, under the assumption that the North can destabilize the conditions on the Korean Peninsula with a major provocation even during Chuseok, which is one of our biggest traditional holidays," the official was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency.

The Chuseok is a traditional autumn harvest holiday lasting for 10 days. The holiday starts on Saturday and will last through October 10, which is the 72nd anniversary of Workers' Party of Korea.

The situation on the Korean Peninsula has become aggravated due to Pyongyang's missile launches and nuclear tests, conducted in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. In the most recent case on September 15, North Korea launched a ballistic missile, which flew over Japan before falling into the northern Pacific some 20 minutes after the launch.

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