2024.06.04. The Fair Economy — The government decided on the 4th to suspend the full effect of the 9·19 Military Agreement until mutual trust between the two Koreas is restored, following a cabinet meeting resolution and presidential approval.
Regarding the suspension, the Ministry of National Defense said, "The Sept. 19 military agreement was originally signed to ease military tensions between the two Koreas and build trust, but North Korea has deliberately and repeatedly committed violations and provocations since the agreement, including coastal artillery firing, missile launches south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL), gunfire provocations at guard posts (GPs), and small drone infiltrations."
Moreover, the ministry pointed out that North Korea itself had effectively scrapped the Sept. 19 military agreement in its entirety on Nov. 23 last year.
The military also explained that despite these repeated violations and provocations by North Korea, it has exercised patience to date while adhering to the terms of the military agreement.
According to the Ministry of National Defense, following the failure of what it called a military reconnaissance satellite launch on the 27th of last month, North Korea carried out GPS jamming, missile launches and the mass dispersal of trash balloons, posing a serious threat to public safety and causing property damage.
In response, the government explained that it decided to suspend all effects of the Sept. 19 Military Agreement so that the military would no longer be constrained in its activities to protect the lives and property of the people.
The measure means restoring all normal military activities by the South Korean military around the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and the Northwest Islands, which had been restricted under the Sept. 19 Military Agreement.
The Ministry of National Defense emphasized, "We clearly state that our military will take all necessary measures to protect the lives and safety of the people against North Korean provocations. The responsibility for this situation lies entirely with the North Korean regime. Should North Korea carry out further provocations, our military will resolutely punish them under the 'immediate, strong and decisive' principle, based on a solid South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture."
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