South Korea's defense minister has been taking lawmakers' questions over national security matters,... including the removal of some guard posts along the heavily-fortified border with North Korea.
Our political correspondent Kim Min-ji files this report from the National Assembly.



South Korea is planning to propose to North Korea that both sides get rid of guard posts in certain places along the demilitarized zone.
There was an understanding reached with the North to that end last month in military talks.
The question is how many guard posts.
At a parliamentary briefing on Friday, rival parties appeared to agree... that the number removed cannot be equal for both sides... because Seoul has only half as many as Pyongyang and would be put at a disadvantage.

"If we get rid of the same number of guard posts,... the disadvantages would be huge. We would be abandoning our territory, while the North could make up for its part by just increasing patrols."


"I served in a military uniform for 40 years and know that we cannot get rid of an equal number of posts. In the next military talks, we will stress that the guard posts will be reduced proportionally -- section by section."
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Another topic of debate was whether the country's defense white paper to be published in December will refer to North Korea as "the enemy" in light of the changes on the Peninsula this year.
In the past, Seoul has referred to Pyongyang as the country's "main enemy" or a "direct military threat."
Opposition lawmakers said the question hardly merits consideration at this point,... while the ruling party said that whether it's in the defense white paper or not, it's covered in military training.
The defense minister also said that the term "enemy" applies to any entity that invades South Korea's territory or airspace,... or threatens the Korean people or the country's assets.

"In my opinion, I don't think it's a matter of whether we put that in there or not. It could change depending on the security situation in our country, or the situation in neighboring countries. In the past it's been changed depending on the circumstances."


"Yes, true. That has happened."


As for July's Marine chopper crash that killed five troops,... the defense minister said that it appears to have been caused by a fault in the fuselage.
A thorough investigation is underway, he said, and scientific evidence will be found that will leave no doubts.
Kim Min-ji, Arirang News.