Suspension of Military Agreement: Where Will Live-Fire Drills Resume? [Yang Nakkyu's Defence Club]

Live-fire Drills Resume in Frontline Areas
Firing Now Permitted Within 5km of the MDL, Including Story Firing Range

On June 4, the government fully suspended the effectiveness of the September 19 Military Agreement, which prohibits hostile acts between North and South Korea. This means that, starting from this day, the September 19 Military Agreement is completely nullified, and the South Korean military is now able to take military actions in response to North Korea's hostile acts.

On the afternoon of the 4th, naval vessels including the Navy 2nd Fleet's Eulji Mundeok (DDH-1, first on the right) participated in a maritime maneuver exercise held in the western waters of Taean, conducting anti-ship firing. The exercise, conducted simultaneously by the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Fleets located in the East, West, and South Seas respectively, involved 13 ships including destroyers and frigates, along with 4 aircraft, conducting live-fire drills and tactical maneuvers. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Broadcasts via loudspeakers toward North Korea, considered a powerful psychological warfare tool, can also be resumed following the suspension of the September 19 Military Agreement. With the agreement rendered virtually ineffective after North Korea's declaration of its termination, officials explained that this measure will allow the South Korean military to normalize its military readiness posture.

The September 19 Military Agreement is an annex to the 'September Pyongyang Joint Declaration,' which was adopted during the summit between former President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on September 19, 2018.

The September 19 Military Agreement, officially titled the 'Agreement on the Implementation of the Military Domain of the Panmunjom Declaration,' was announced on September 19, 2018 as an annex to the September Pyongyang Joint Declaration. The agreement included provisions such as: the establishment of buffer zones on land and at sea; withdrawal of frontline guard posts (GPs) within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ); designation of no-fly zones in forward areas; demilitarization of the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom; joint excavation of Korean War remains; and peaceful use of the Han River estuary. However, since North Korea's reconnaissance satellite launch in November last year, clauses aimed at reducing military tensions-such as the establishment of no-fly zones, pilot withdrawal of GPs within the DMZ, demilitarization of the JSA, and buffer zones on land and at sea-have been effectively nullified.

North Korea has repeatedly violated the September 19 Military Agreement and continued its provocations, and in November last year, it unilaterally declared the complete termination of the agreement. In the same month, the South Korean government also partially suspended the effectiveness of the agreement.

With the agreement now terminated, the Ministry of National Defense plans to schedule live-fire drills in the buffer zones for land, sea, and air hostile acts. The dissolution of the September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement effectively abolishes the buffer zones that prohibited hostile acts on land and at sea, making it possible to use frontline firing ranges again.

Live-fire drills on land will be conducted at firing ranges within 5 kilometers of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which served as buffer zones for hostile acts. These include Story Firing Range (Paju, Gyeonggi Province), Cheonmiri Firing Range (Yanggu County, Gangwon Province), Jeokgeori Firing Range (Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province), Chilseong Firing Range (Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province), and Songjiho Firing Range (Goseong Firing Range, Goseong County, Gangwon Province).

A wider variety of live-fire drills have now become possible. The Songjiho Firing Range on the East Coast is regarded as the only training ground where live-fire drills can be conducted with the next-generation 230mm Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Cheonmu, which has a maximum range of 80 kilometers. It is also a site where K-9 self-propelled howitzers, K-55A1 self-propelled howitzers, and KH-179 towed howitzers belonging to the Army's 8th Corps, as well as the Navy's 76mm naval guns, can be fired. In 2016 and again last year, the military publicly conducted live-fire drills at Songjiho Firing Range to deter North Korean provocations. However, the September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement required the direction of fire at Songjiho to be turned southward, toward Sokcho. The problem was that a hotel, as tall as a ten-story building, is located just 30 meters from the Songjiho firing position, making live-fire drills impossible.

Live-fire drills at sea have also become possible. Until now, the seven companies of the Marine Corps stationed on Baengnyeong Island and Yeonpyeong Island had to relocate to land for firing exercises due to the military agreement. However, as early as next month, they will be able to conduct live-fire drills toward the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea. Naval vessels are also expected to resume naval gunfire exercises. In the previously designated no-fly zones, Apache helicopters will be able to conduct air-to-ground guided missile firing as well.

There are predictions that if live-fire drills are conducted in the buffer zones, North Korea may use this as a pretext to launch provocations by land, sea, and air. In response, the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "In the event of a provocation, we will respond overwhelmingly and decisively according to the principle of 'immediate, strong, and to the end.'"