President Yoon Approves Partial Suspension of 9·19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement in the UK

Prime Minister Han Chairs Emergency Cabinet Meeting in the Morning

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is on a state visit to the United Kingdom, gave final approval on the 22nd (local time) for the 'Partial Suspension of the Effectiveness of the September 19 Military Agreement.'

The presidential office announced that President Yoon approved the partial suspension of the effectiveness of the September 19 Military Agreement, which was resolved at an extraordinary Cabinet meeting presided over by the Prime Minister that morning.

After North Korea launched its so-called third military reconnaissance satellite the previous afternoon, President Yoon chaired an emergency National Security Council (NSC) Standing Committee meeting via video conference and stated, "Regardless of success, the purpose is to enhance surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities against us and improve the performance of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). This is a measure to implement North Korea's nuclear and missile threats," and instructed, "Proceed with countermeasures according to legal procedures as discussed in today's NSC Standing Committee."

The NSC Standing Committee agreed, saying, "Due to the restrictions of the September 19 Military Agreement, our security posture in the border area has become more vulnerable," and "The government will pursue the suspension of effectiveness of Article 1, Paragraph 3 of the September 19 Military Agreement." They also added that they would restore reconnaissance and surveillance activities against North Korea around the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) that were previously conducted.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Article 1, Paragraph 3 of the September 19 Military Agreement establishes a no-fly zone for all types of aircraft over the Military Demarcation Line.

Prime Minister Han, at an extraordinary Cabinet meeting held at the Government Complex Seoul that day, emphasized the necessity of the partial suspension of the September 19 Military Agreement's effectiveness, calling it "an absolutely necessary measure for our national security, a minimal defensive measure, and a highly legitimate action under the law."

Meanwhile, the September 19 military sector inter-Korean agreement is an annex to the 'Pyongyang Joint Declaration,' adopted during the inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang in September 2018 between then-President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea.