NSC to suspend inter-Korean military agreement

Jun 04, 2024, 09:26 am

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A North Korean soldier moves from a North Korean guard post viewed from the border area of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on June 3, 2024, when the South Korean government announced to suspend the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement in response to the North’s launch of trash balloons against the South./ Source: Yonhap

AsiaToday reporter Hong Sun-mi & Ji Hwan-hyuk

The recent North Korean provocations in the buffer zone after the failure of a military reconnaissance satellite launch eventually has neutralized the inter-Korean military agreement made for the implementation of the historic Panmunjom Declaration in 2018.

The presidential National Security Council (NSC) decided Monday to fully suspend the 2018 inter-Korean reduction pact until mutual trust is restored. In fact, the agreement between the two Koreas, which was prepared to prevent accidental military clashes under the Moon Jae-in administration in 2018, was virtually neutralized in five years and nine months.

The presidential office convened an NSC standing committee meeting presided over by Deputy Principal National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo, where officials agreed to propose a motion suspending the September 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement during a Cabinet meeting slated for Tuesday. Attended by 1st Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hong-kyun, Vice Defense Minister Kim Sun-ho, Second Vice National Intelligence Service Director Hwang Won-jin, Unification Policy Director Kim Byung-dae, and Second Vice National Security Office Director In Seong-hwan, was held to come up with ‘unendurable’ measures in detail against the North.

The NSC meeting concluded that North Korea’s recent provocations have caused real harm and threats to South Korean citizens and negatively impacted the military’s readiness posture.

“This measure will enable military training near the Military Demarcation Line, which has been restricted by the agreement, and allow for more adequate and immediate responses to North Korean provocations,” the office said. “The government will take all necessary measures to protect the lives and safety of our citizens.”

The measure is seen as a stepping stone to resume loudspeaker broadcasts carrying news critical of the North Korean regime along the inter-Korean border, in response to the North’s sending of the trash balloons.

#NSC #inter-Korean military agreement #September 19