09-151.pdf

MAC to discuss and accused the North of using the Commission to
make political propaganda. Rearmaments were raised once more in
1987.
At the 441st meeting proposed by the KPA/CPV held on
February 23, 1988, the North criticized the large-scale exercise
“TS-88” as a preparation for war, protested the illegal introduction of
military personnel and strategic materials from abroad and blamed the
South for bringing in large quantities of nuclear weapons in preparation
for nuclear war. The South pointed out the North’s stereotype criticism
against the Team Spirit exercise as a way of using the MAC for
unnecessary political propaganda. The South reminded that it had
invited the North to send observers since 1982 and emphasized that
Team Spirit was a defensive exercise. When the 442nd meeting called
by the KPA/CPV took place on April 1, the North criticized TS-88 and
urged an unconditional halt. With the exercise as an excuse, large
quantities of military equipment and several aircraft carriers were
brought into the Korean peninsula in violation of Paragraph 13(d).
The South responded that the introduction of combat equipment took
place due to the North’s rearmaments and emphasized that it was a
defensive exercise.
At the 444th meeting requested by the KPA/CPV convened on
July 15, the North criticized the South for rearming under the pretext
of “guaranteeing security during the Olympics.” The number of
American troops had risen by 4,100 men since 1987 to reach 48,000.
The North criticized the joint South Korea-US “Ûlchi-Focus Lens
Exercise” as a preparation for war. The South asserted that the North
used the meeting for propaganda purposes and did not respond to
what it regarded to be false accusations. Previously, at the 490th MAC
336 Peace-keeping in the Korean Peninsula