◀ anchor ▶
In response to North Korea’s successive missile provocations, passports argue that the 9/19 military agreement with North Korea should be broken.
This is the 2018 inter-Korean agreement that agreed not to engage in hostilities in military-sensitive areas in order to prevent accidental conflicts from escalating into all-out war.
The Unification Minister said he is not considering it right now, but President Yoon Seok-yeol said, “It’s hard to say in advance.”
Reporter Lee Jeong-eun.
◀ Report ▶
Asked if North Korea would consider violating the 9/19 military agreement as a countermeasure if it conducted its seventh nuclear test, President Yun Seok-yeol did not deny it, leaving room for space.
[윤석열 대통령]
“The three security cooperation countries are operating various channels such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Security Bureau, and are preparing countermeasures very step by step.”
The September 19 military agreement signed in 2018 is an agreement between the two Koreas to stop all hostile actions near the Military Demarcation Line and the NLL.
It is like a safety device to prevent an accidental conflict from escalating into an all-out war, but Chung Jin-seok, chairman of the People’s Power Hypertrophy, argued that if North Korea conducted its 7th nuclear test, it should annul the 9/19 military agreement.
First of all, Unification Minister Kwon Young-se, who is in charge of the ministry, gave a principled answer.
[권영세/통일부 장관]
“In the worst case, I was saying that all options would have to be reviewed, but I am preparing to cancel all agreements, including the 9/19 military agreement, from now on.”
I drew a line that I didn’t review right away, and I didn’t even explain what the worst would be.
Doubt over the 9/19 military agreement is growing in the passport because of North Korea’s successive provocations, but it seems to have been considered that the responsibility for the strained inter-Korean relations could come back if the South Korean government destroy it first. .
Democrats oppose breaking the deal.
[박병석/더불어민주당]
“The 9/19 military agreement is the last firewall that can prevent accidental conflict by establishing our buffer.”
Some inside the military are also said to be worried that if the 9/19 military agreement is violated, tensions around the border will increase and lead to local conflicts.
As military tensions increase, there are comments that it is not easy for the Korean government to break the 9/19 agreement first.
However, in the face of North Korean provocation, passports seeking to gather supporters are expected to continue to discuss breaking the agreement in the future.
This is Lee Jung-eun from MBC News.
Video commentary: Koo Bon-won / Video editing: Woo Seong-ho
MBC News awaits your report 24 hours a day.
▷ Telephone 02-784-4000
▷ Email mbcjebo@mbc.co.kr
▷ KakaoTalk Report @mbc
