North Korea Blames Seoul For Fracturing Military Agreement

On Tuesday, North Korea said that it had successfully carried out the previously announced launch of its Malligyong-1 military reconnaissance satellite.

The DPRK's Ministry of National Defense has criticized South Korea for partially cancelling the inter-Korean military agreement. According to North Korea, South Korea's actions have rendered the agreement meaningless for some time now. The Ministry argues that South Korea will bear full responsibility for any "uncontrollable" situation or consequences that may arise as a result of this decision.

Seoul responded to the North Korean satellite launch on Wednesday by suspending a number of clauses in the agreement, including the resumption of reconnaissance activities near the Military Demarcation Line.

The North Korean Defense Ministry said Thursday that Pyongyang would immediately restore all military measures suspended under the 2018 inter-Korean military accord with South Korea.

North Korea's Defense Ministry said the satellite launch was in line with its right to self-defense and a measure to monitor and respond to the intensifying military activities of "enemies" around the Korean Peninsula. But the political "gangsters" and "traitors" represented by South Korea launched a "confrontational hysteria" over the launch, calling the DPRK's "legitimate right" a violation of the UN Security Council resolutions and the inter-Korean military agreement as if they were deliberately "waiting for an opportunity" the defense ministry said.

"It is the personalities from the Republic of Korea who are the instigators who have comprehensively challenged the spirit of the agreement signed to eliminate the danger of armed conflict in the area of the Military Demarcation Line by comprehensively, extensively and gradually escalating various military provocations. The inter-Korean military agreement of September 19 has long become a blank sheet of paper due to the deliberate and provocative moves of the elements from the Republic of Korea," the statement said.

It noted that South Korea has "thrown away" the other side's trust and responsibility to fulfill the agreements, which shows that it "cannot be dealt with". Pyongyang, therefore, will respond by restoring all the military measures taken under the inter-Korean agreement to reduce tension and deploy "more powerful military forces and advanced weapons" in the area of the Military Demarcation Line.

Pyongyang said Wednesday it had successfully sent the Malligyong-1 military reconnaissance satellite into orbit late Tuesday on a Chollima-1 carrier rocket and was on track to launch several more soon. South Korea, the United States and Japan have urged the DPRK to cancel the launch, saying it would violate UN Security Council resolutions banning Pyongyang's launches using ballistic missile technology, even if the purpose of the launch is to place a satellite in orbit.

For its part, the DPRK has said it has every right to enhance its space reconnaissance capabilities.