Official announcements from South Korean government, news agencies like Yonhap

South Korea Suspends 2018 Military Agreement with North Korea Over Trash Balloons

Jun 3, 2024, 07:47 AM

South Korea has decided to suspend a military agreement signed with North Korea in 2018 aimed at reducing tensions between the two countries. The decision follows a campaign by North Korea involving the launch of nearly 1,000 trash-filled balloons across the border into South Korea. The balloons, which were sent as part of a campaign against what Pyongyang termed “human scum,” have prompted Seoul to take a strong stance. The suspension of the agreement, which was signed on Sept 19 during the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang, allows for the deployment of troops and weapons in the zone of the Military Demarcation Line. The National Security Council (NSC) of South Korea has emphasized the necessity of this measure until trust is restored between the two nations, according to Yonhap news.