Seoul: South Korea’s military announced on Tuesday its decision to recommence all military activities along the demarcation line that separates the two Koreas and includes the North West Islands. This move comes in the wake of suspending an inter-Korean military agreement.
President Yoon Suk Yeol approved the suspension of the military agreement with the North earlier on Tuesday, citing North Korea’s recent provocative act of sending hundreds of balloons laden with trash over the border.
“The South Korean military is committed to taking all necessary measures to safeguard the lives and safety of our people in response to North Korea’s provocations,” emphasized a defense ministry official during an emergency briefing.
The official further highlighted the severity of the situation, stating, “The large-scale release of filth balloons has gravely endangered the safety of our citizens and resulted in property damage.”
Pyongyang’s action on Sunday involved the dispatch of 15 tons of wastepaper using 3,500 balloons, prompting Seoul to vow “unendurable” retaliatory measures against the North, which may include broadcasting propaganda via loudspeakers directed at the North.
The military pact, under which both countries agreed to “completely cease all hostile acts against each other” that contribute to military tension and conflict, was a significant outcome of the historic summit meetings between the two Koreas in 2018. However, it effectively fell apart when Pyongyang announced last year that it no longer considered itself bound by it.
Since then, North Korea has bolstered its troops and weaponry at guard posts near the military border. On Tuesday, around 50 North Koreans were observed from the South engaging in the construction of a fence stretching several hundred meters, leading to a guard post situated on a border hill, according to a Reuters witness.
