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| ▲ This photo shows the guard posts of South Korea and North Korea facing each other in a border area in the city of Paju, north of Seoul, on June 4, 2024. (Yonhap) |
foreign ministry-military pact
S. Korea told relevant countries of decision to suspend inter-Korean tension reduction pact in advance: Seoul official
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea informed the United States, China and other relevant countries in advance of its decision to suspend a 2018 tension reduction pact with North Korea prior to announcing the plan, a foreign ministry official said Tuesday.
On Monday, the presidential National Security Council (NSC) said it decided to fully suspend the Comprehensive Military Agreement until mutual trust is restored, in response to the North's massive sending of trash-carrying balloons across the border into the South.
President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday endorsed the motion for the full suspension following a Cabinet meeting. The defense ministry said it will resume all military activities near the border.
South Korea explained its decision on the suspension of the military pact to the United States, Japan, China and Russia on the same day that it made the decision, a foreign ministry official told reporters.
"We explained (to them) the legitimate and legal measure and this was done yesterday," the official said on condition of anonymity.
"In particular, South Korea and the United States are closely communicating and continuing our sturdy coordination on all matters related to North Korea," he said.
The official declined to comment when asked about the reaction from China and Russia, saying it is not appropriate to disclose the content of diplomatic communications with another country.
The official restated the government position that the decision will enable more sufficient and immediate responses to Pyongyang's provocations, vowing to take all measures to protect the lives and ensure the safety of South Korean citizens.
The 2018 deal included setting up buffer zones around the border to suspend large-scale military drills, as well as banning "hostile" acts between the two Koreas, which restricted the loudspeaker broadcasts.
The government already suspended part of the agreement in November in response to North Korea's successful launch of a military spy satellite. That removed the no-fly zones around the border to allow the South to resume reconnaissance and surveillance activities in the area.
The full suspension of the pact will allow South Korea to resume military training near the border and restart loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts into the North.
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