North Korea scraps military deal with South amid tensions over spy satellite

Seoul: North Korea has scrapped a 2018 security deal with South Korea, vowing to restore all military measures at their shared border, including deploying more armed forces and new weapons.

The announcement by the North’s Defence Ministry came a day after South Korea suspended part of the inter-Korean deal in response to Pyongyang’s launch of a spy satellite and said it would immediately step up surveillance along the heavily fortified frontier.

“From now on, our army will never be bound by the September 19 North-South Military Agreement,” the statement said.

A TV screen in Seoul, South Korea, shows a report of the launch of North Korea’s spy satellite into orbit on Wednesday.Credit: AP

“We will withdraw the military steps, taken to prevent military tension and conflict in all spheres including ground, sea and air, and deploy more powerful armed forces and new-type military hardware in the region along the Military Demarcation Line.”

North Korea accused South Korea of scrapping the deal, known as the Comprehensive Military Agreement, and said Seoul would be held “wholly accountable in case an irretrievable clash breaks out” between the two countries.

The statement from the government of leader Kim Jong-un came hours after it fired a ballistic missile towards the sea east of the Korean peninsula. South Korea’s military said the launch appeared to have failed.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at a satellite control centre in Pyongyang.Credit: KCNA/KNS/AP

A US Department of State spokesperson said South Korea’s decision to suspend part of the agreement was a “prudent and restrained response,” citing North Korea’s “failure to adhere to the agreement”.

“The ROK suspension will restore surveillance and reconnaissance activities along the ROK side of the Military Demarcation Line, improving the ROK’s ability to monitor DPRK threats,” the official said, referring to South Korea and North Korea respectively by the initials of their official names.

The pact was signed at a 2018 summit between Kim and then South Korean president Moon Jae-in.

Critics have said the pact weakened Seoul’s ability to monitor North Korea while Pyongyang violated the agreement.

Visitors near the wire fence that devides the two countries, at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea.Credit: AP

North Korea drew international condemnation on Wednesday after it placed its first spy satellite in orbit, violating UN resolutions that bar its use of technology applicable to ballistic missile programs.

The launch was the North’s third this year after two previous attempts failed, and followed Kim’s visit to Russia, during which President Vladimir Putin promised to help the North build satellites.

South Korean officials said the North Korean launch most likely involved Russian technical assistance under a growing partnership that allows Pyongyang to supply Russia with millions of artillery shells.

Russia and North Korea have denied arms deals but have promised deeper cooperation.

Reuters

Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.