| May
3. | - North Korea fires several
bullets at a South Korean guard post.
･ South Korea
fired back and sent a message to the North in the name of
the chief delegate for an inter-Korean summit-level
meeting. |
| May 8. | - A spokesperson for the Ministry of the
People’s Armed Forces of the DPRK, in a statement, condemned
South Korea’s combined Navy-Air Force drills as extremely
provocative.
･ “The South Korean military staged said
military drills while calling us their ‘enemy.’ This is a
grave provocation that cannot be overlooked and will be met
with a necessary reaction from us."
･ “The
South’s reckless military provocation represents a complete
violation and a blatant act of betrayal of the inter-Korean
military agreements on completely ceasing all hostile acts
against each other in every domain, including land, air, and
sea and on establishing a peace zone in the West Sea.”
|
| May 10. | - ROK President Moon Jae-in delivers a
special address marking three years in office.
･ “We
will play a leading role so that Northeast Asia, ASEAN, and
the rest of the world can move forward toward the common
goal of human security through solidarity and cooperation. I
hope that South and North Korea will move toward a single
community of life and a peace community by cooperating on
human security.” |
| May
18-24. | - The ROK Ministry of
Unification holds the 8th Unification Education Week
online.
|
| May 18-19. |
- North Korea submits a written
opinion to the World Health Assembly (WHA, held by way of
video conferencing), now posted on WHO’s website.
･
North Korea strongly urges countries concerned to
“immediately withdraw existing unilateral economic,
financial, and trade restrictions and anti-humanitarian
sanctions that negate the UN Charter and international law
and end all kinds of discrimination and politicisation in
providing assistance for the sake of global cooperation in
tackling the COVID-19 epidemic.” |
| May 20. | - A spokesperson
for the ROK Ministry of Unification mentions the May 24
Measures during his briefing.
･ “Previous governments
have taken a flexible approach and allowed exceptions (in
implementation of the sanctions). Many of the sanctions have
virtually lost their effect. Accordingly, our government
does not see those May 24 Measures as a hindrance to our
push for exchange and cooperation with the North.”
|
| May 23. | - North Korea holds the fourth meeting of
the Seventh Central Military Commission of the Workers’
Party of Korea (WPK), presided over by Chairman Kim Jong Un.
･ The meeting discussed important military steps and
organizational and political measures to further bolster the
national defense capabilities and war deterrent and to
defend the political stability and sovereignty of the
country. |
| May 25. | - The South’s disease control and
prevention authorities conduct ASF tests in Panmunjeom and
regions near the Dorasan Observatory (tested negative).
|
| May 26. | - The United Nations Command (UNC)
releases its investigation findings of the GP firing (May
3), saying that the investigation was “unable to
definitively determine whether the North’s gunshots were
fired intentionally or by mistake,” and “both sides
committed Armistice Agreement violations.”
･ (May 26,
the ROK Ministry of National Defense) “The South Korean army
acted appropriately according to their response manual. We
express regret that the UNC announced its conclusion without
even investigating North Korea. The South Korean military
will continue to work on alleviating military tensions along
the DMZ to ensure progress in the peace process on the
Korean Peninsula through faithful implementation of the
September 19 Military Agreement while maintaining a staunch
readiness posture.” |
| May
26. | - The ROK begins a survey of
the actual conditions of the DMZ.
|
| May 27. | - South Korea’s
Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Promotion Council
resolves to fund UNESCAP projects to support sustainable
development capacity at its 314th meeting.
|
| May 27. | - The ROK
Ministry of Unification holds a public hearing on the
revised bill of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation
Act.
|
| May 27. | - The Ministry of Unification reports to
the National Assembly its 2020 execution plan to improve
human rights in North Korea.
|
