Seoul: The defense ministry on Monday rejected allegations that its suspension of an inter-Korean military pact and the resumption of anti-Pyongyang loudspeaker broadcasts were aimed at inciting North Korea's provocations ahead of December's martial law imposition. The ministry's statement comes in response to suspicions raised by the opposition bloc and various media reports suggesting that the military "intentionally" engaged in these activities to provoke North Korea in connection with President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief martial law declaration on December 3.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ministry stated, "Our military has deterred North Korea's provocations through a consistent policy toward North Korea while maintaining firm military readiness." The ministry criticized those linking normal military activities with the martial law situation, arguing that such connections incur security concerns and hinder military operations. It assured cooperation with the ongoing martial law investigation.
Additionally, the ministry dismissed claims that it considered artillery strikes in response to North Korea's launch of trash-carrying balloons across the border last year. The military emphasized it had "patiently" retrieved the balloons without resorting to firing, labeling any allegations of preparing artillery strikes as "not true."
Similarly, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) previously rejected accusations that it sent anti-Pyongyang leaflets to provoke military actions during former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun's tenure. Kim is indicted as a central figure in Yoon's unsuccessful martial law imposition. The JCS also denied allegations of evidence concealment following claims of flying drones over Pyongyang in October, maintaining its stance of not confirming the alleged drone infiltration due to operational security concerns.
In June, the presidential National Security Council decided to fully suspend the 2018 inter-Korean tension reduction pact until mutual trust is restored, in response to North Korea's extensive trash-carrying balloon operations across the border. Consequently, the military resumed anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts, marking the first such activity near the heavily fortified border since January 2016.
The ministry noted that North Korea has violated the tension reduction pact over 4,000 times since unilaterally suspending the agreement in December 2023.