President Lee directs step-by-step implementation of Sept. 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement

President Lee Jae-myung (center) speaks during a Cabinet meeting for Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on August 18. / Photo by the presidential office press corps

President Lee Jae-myung on August 18 instructed government ministries to “prepare for the gradual implementation of existing inter-Korean agreements starting with what is feasible.” The directive goes a step beyond his Liberation Day address, where he pledged to “proactively and incrementally restore the September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement.” Observers see it as a signal of the government’s stronger commitment to easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Possible measures under review include halting military drills in buffer zones near the border and reestablishing no-fly zones over the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).

Chairing a full session of the National Security Council (NSC) at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, Lee stressed the importance of inter-Korean relations in a rapidly shifting international environment. “To safeguard Korea’s national interests and expand our diplomatic space, ties with the North are critically important,” he said.

“Real security means preserving peace,” Lee continued. “It is better to win without fighting than to win through conflict, but the most reliable security is a state of peace where fighting is unnecessary. What we need now is the courage to steadily take steps to reduce tensions while maintaining an unshakable defense posture. Small acts of implementation, like pebbles stacking up, will help restore mutual trust, widen the path to peace, and lay the foundation for shared prosperity between South and North.”

Lee also emphasized that the joint South Korea–U.S. military exercise “Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS),” which began the same day, is defensive in nature. He made clear that “Seoul has no intention of attacking the North or escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.”

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung explained in a briefing that “the closed-door Cabinet meeting had also reviewed which parts of the inter-Korean military agreement South Korea could begin implementing first.”

Attention is now focused on what concrete steps the government will take. In his Liberation Day address on August 15, President Lee said, “Trust is not built on words but on actions. We will restore the September 19 military agreement proactively and in stages.”

Analysts expect the government may consider suspending military drills in buffer zones along the border to meaningfully reduce the risk of clashes between the two Koreas. This could include Marine live-fire exercises near the northwestern islands and Army drills within five kilometers of the MDL. Authorities may also establish no-fly zones for military aircraft and helicopters over areas near the MDL.

The government is expected to gradually reinstate certain provisions of the military accord through Cabinet deliberations, followed by corresponding actions in the field. Adjustments to various training activities in border areas may also be considered regardless of formal structures. The previous Yoon Suk-yeol administration suspended the no-fly zone provision of the inter-Korean military deal in November 2023, and by June last year had halted the implementation of all clauses.

At the same NSC session, officials also reviewed South Korea’s ability to mobilize its total defense capacity in wartime and the transition procedures for government agencies in a conflict scenario.

※This article was translated by an AI tool and edited by a professional translator.