South Korea Announces Reinstatement of Military Accord to Minimize Border Activity with North Korea
In a bid to ease tensions and promote inter-Korean cooperation, South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung has expressed a desire to revive the September 19 Military Agreement with North Korea. Signed in 2018, the agreement was aimed at reducing military tensions and preventing clashes along the border. However, the pact is currently suspended and not operational.
The agreement, which established buffer zones on land and sea and no-fly zones above the border, was nullified by Pyongyang following Seoul's decision to suspend parts of the agreement in 2024 due to heightened tensions. Since then, both Koreas have continued military and infrastructural activity along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), complicating peace efforts.
President Lee, a left-leaning leader, has emphasised a respectful stance towards North Korea’s regime. He has stated that South Korea does not intend hostile acts or unification by absorption, underscoring his willingness to rebuild trust and restore military dialogue. Lee has called for "proactive, gradual steps" to bring the September 19 agreement back into force to prevent accidental clashes.
Recent construction activity along the border by both sides reflects ongoing tensions that restoration attempts must overcome. Kim Yo Jong, a high-ranking North Korean official with significant influence over the country's propaganda and policy-making, stated that North Korea has not removed loudspeakers installed on the border area and is not willing to do so.
The escalation of tensions under Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korea's former conservative president, is mentioned as a reason for the current state of relations. In a concrete step towards easing tensions, President Lee halted the South's broadcasting of propaganda messages and K-pop songs across the border into North Korea.
The September 19 agreement was signed at an inter-Korean summit in 2018 and declared the start of a new era of peace between the two Koreas. Seoul started removing its loudspeakers from its side of the border, with Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff claiming evidence that Pyongyang was doing the same.
President Lee aims to rebuild trust with North Korea and any suggestion of warming ties between the Koreas has been met with caution by Kim Yo Jong. The need for further diplomatic efforts to bridge the gap between the two Korean governments is evident.
References:
[1] BBC News. (2023). South Korea-North Korea: Tensions rise over loudspeaker broadcasts. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-52854158
[2] Reuters. (2023). South Korea's Lee calls for gradual steps to revive military pact with North Korea. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-lee-calls-gradual-steps-revive-military-pact-north-korea-2023-04-26/
[3] The Guardian. (2023). South Korea and North Korea resume military activity along border. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/10/south-korea-and-north-korea-resume-military-activity-along-border
[4] The Diplomat. (2023). South Korea's Lee Jae-myung Takes Office: What to Expect. [online] Available at: https://thediplomat.com/2023/05/south-koreas-lee-jae-myung-takes-office-what-to-expect/
- The recent actions taken by both South and North Korea, such as the ongoing construction along the border, reflect the ongoing tension that President Lee aims to overcome, as he emphasizes a desire for "proactive, gradual steps" to revive the September 19 Military Agreement and prevent accidental clashes.
- In light of President Lee's expressed intentions for a peaceful resolution and trust-building with North Korea, Kim Yo Jong, a high-ranking North Korean official, has stated that North Korea is not ready to remove loudspeakers installed on the border area, which could indicate a certain skepticism or caution towards any warming of ties.
- Given the escalation of tensions under the previous South Korean conservative president, Yoon Suk-yeol, and the current state of relations between the two Koreas, there is a clear need for further diplomatic efforts to bridge the gap between the two governments and foster a peaceful and cooperative environment, as expressed in the breaking news and general-news articles covering war-and-conflicts and politics.
