South Korean soldiers lock a gate at a guard post near the the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, in Paju, South Korea, June 17, 2020. (Photo:REUTERS) |
The suspension of the military agreement with the North, which President Yoon Suk Yeol approved earlier on Tuesday, is in response to North Korea's decision to send hundreds of balloons over the border.
A defense ministry official said in an emergency briefing that the large-scale spraying of balloons has threatened the safety of the people and caused property damage.
Under the military pact reached in 2018, both countries agreed to completely cease all hostile acts against each other that are the source of military tension and conflict, through measures such as the two sides ending military drills near the border.