South Korea Prepares to Withdraw Troops from Northern Border
South Korea has decided to halt some military activities along the border with North Korea as part of efforts to reduce tensions, marking a significant shift in policy.
Kokcha News Agency – South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has announced that his government will suspend some military activities along the border with North Korea as part of efforts to improve relations with Pyongyang.
According to Reuters, President Lee stated in a speech that South Korea will reinstate the “September 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement” (CMA), signed in 2018, which aimed to reduce tensions along the border.
How Will Pyongyang Respond?
Lee Jae Myung, who took office after an early election in June, has signaled a willingness to restart dialogue with North Korea following a period of heightened tensions. Lee recalled steps such as removing propaganda loudspeakers and stopping activists from sending leaflets via balloons to the North. However, it remains unclear how Pyongyang will respond to these gestures. In recent weeks, high-ranking North Korean officials have dismissed Seoul’s efforts to ease tensions, and experts believe that a positive response in the short term is unlikely.
What Happened in 2018?
The CMA was signed in 2018 following historic summits between then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. On September 19, 2018, the defense ministers of both countries signed the agreement in Pyongyang.
The agreement called for the cessation of all hostile actions in land, sea, and airspace, the prohibition of military exercises near the border, the end of live-fire drills in certain areas, the establishment of no-fly zones, the removal of some border guard posts, and the maintenance of communication channels between the two sides.
On land, artillery fire and field training within 5 kilometers of the Military Demarcation Line were completely halted. At sea, coastal artillery in buffer zones was to be closed, and barrels were to be covered.
How Did the Agreement Collapse?
Following the breakdown of dialogue and nuclear disarmament talks between the two Koreas, the agreement began to weaken in recent years due to mutual accusations of violations.
In 2023, North Korea’s launch of a spy satellite escalated tensions, and both sides gradually suspended confidence-building measures.
North Korea “Tore Up” the Agreement
The Seoul government removed the clause in the 2018 agreement that established a no-fly zone near the border, resuming reconnaissance and surveillance activities. Pyongyang, in response, declared that it had “torn up” the agreement and announced the resumption of all suspended military activities.
In June 2024, then-President Yoon Suk Yeol fully suspended the military agreement after North Korea sent hundreds of trash-filled balloons across the southern border. That same year, North Korea amended its constitution to declare South Korea an “enemy state.”
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