Seoul, South Korea - Defense chief Shin Won-sik announced on Thursday that South Korea's partial suspension of the 2018 inter-Korean tension reduction agreement is a necessary and minimal defensive response to North Korea's recent spy satellite launch. This move comes amid escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
According to Yonhap News Agency, speaking during a parliamentary session in Seoul, the decision was made in response to North Korea's launch of a military spy satellite on November 21, which he deemed a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and a serious provocation. The suspension targets a specific clause of the 2018 Comprehensive Military Agreement that established a no-fly zone around the Military Demarcation Line, the border separating the two Koreas.
The North Korean defense ministry, as reported earlier, had vowed to restore all military measures that were halted under the 2018 agreement and issued a warning that South Korea would "pay dearly" for its decision. The announcement from Pyongyang followed the approval of the suspension by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday.
Shin emphasized the necessity of the partial suspension as a measure to ensure the safety and security of the South Korean people. He indicated that in response to the growing threat from the North, South Korea would resume aerial surveillance operations in the border region.
In a display of readiness, South Korean military sources confirmed that surveillance drones and reconnaissance aircraft were deployed near the border immediately following the suspension's enactment. Additionally, the Marine Corps reported conducting three-day joint drills near northwestern islands close to the maritime border, starting Tuesday.
Further escalating the situation, North Korea conducted a ballistic missile test toward the East Sea on Wednesday night, which reportedly failed, according to the South Korean military. This launch adds to the already tense atmosphere on the peninsula.
The South Korean defense ministry speculated that North Korea's recent actions, including the satellite launch and missile test, might be attempts to showcase its strategic weapons development and surveillance capabilities during the upcoming year-end plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. This meeting typically focuses on reviewing the year's accomplishments and setting policy goals for the coming year.
Amid these developments, South Korea and the United States are planning joint military exercises. These drills are expected to involve the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, currently docked at a naval base in Busan, South Korea's southeastern port city. Sources indicate that the USS Carl Vinson will participate in joint naval drills between South Korea and the U.S., as well as trilateral exercises involving Japan, scheduled for the upcoming weekend.