South Korea Axes North Korean Pact Amid Trash Balloon Fallout

South Korea has announced its intention to suspend a military accord signed with North Korea in 2018, following a recent incident where North Korea launched numerous balloons containing garbage into South Korean territory. The decision was made by South Korea's National Security Council, which plans to seek approval from the Cabinet in a meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

The suspension of the military pact aims to enable South Korea to conduct training near the military border and respond appropriately to what it perceives as provocation from Pyongyang. The council emphasized the need to restore mutual trust between the two Koreas before considering the resumption of the agreement, without specifying further details on the proposed measures.

North Korea stated that it launched the balloons in response to what it viewed as a propaganda campaign by defectors in South Korea and defended the action as a necessary countermeasure. Activists from the South often send balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang materials and humanitarian aid across the border.

The military agreement, a product of diplomatic efforts between the two Koreas in 2018 aimed at easing tensions, has faced challenges since last year when North Korea declared its withdrawal from the pact and increased its military presence near the border. South Korea had previously suspended parts of the agreement following North Korea's satellite launch.

The National Security Council expressed concerns about South Korea's partial adherence to the pact, citing difficulties in responding to security threats effectively. Relations between the two Koreas have deteriorated, with North Korea conducting multiple ballistic missile tests in defiance of international sanctions.

Also Read: North Korea Launches 600 Trash-Filled Balloons Towards South Korea