South Korea Fully Suspends Military Agreement with Its Northern Neighbor

South Korea announced that it will suspend the military agreement signed with North Korea in 2018 in response to the sending of hundreds of balloons containing waste to its border by Pyongyang. The National Security Council of South Korea stated on Monday, June 3, that this action is aimed at 'reducing tensions' and that the suspension of this agreement will pave the way for military training near the border and the adoption of 'sufficient and immediate measures' in response to North Korean provocations. The council did not provide details about the nature of these measures, but stated that the proposal to suspend the agreement will be presented for approval at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. After Seoul partially suspended the agreement last fall in protest against North Korea's successful launch of a spy satellite, North Korea declared that it would no longer adhere to the agreement. North Korea has intensified its 'waste rain' on South Korea, threatening retaliatory actions from Seoul. Since then, North Korea has deployed its forces and weapons at guard posts near the border. The National Security Council of South Korea announced in its statement on Monday that continued adherence to this pact had created 'significant problems in our military readiness.' The council also stated that this agreement will be suspended 'until mutual trust between the two Koreas is established.' The South Korean military announced on June 8 that approximately 900 balloons filled with waste had been sent southward by Pyongyang. North Korea continued this action until June 13 and warned that it might take further actions if necessary. The balloons land in northern provinces, including Seoul, the capital, which houses nearly half of South Korea's population. South Korea has described this recent provocation from its nuclear-armed neighbor as 'irrational' and 'a low-level act.' North Korea claims this action is in retaliation for a propaganda campaign by defectors and activists from North Korea in the southern neighbor, who frequently send balloons containing anti-Pyongyang leaflets along with food, medicine, money, and memory cards filled with K-pop music videos to the northern borders. Seoul had previously warned that sending these wastes is contrary to the armistice that ended hostilities in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953 and threatened that if North Korea does not stop the 'waste rain,' it will take severe retaliatory measures.