The move came in response to a series of North Korean provocations, including last November’s launch of a military spy satellite and recent landings of trash-carrying balloons in South Korea.
The resumption of military drills near the border is likely to heighten tensions between the two Koreas. However, South Korean officials maintain that the exercises are necessary to deter North Korean aggression and ensure South Korea’s security.
The agreement, signed in 2018 under the Moon Jae-in administration, called for a halt to all military exercises in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and in the border areas. However, citing ongoing North Korean provocations, the South Korean government has been gradually scaling back its adherence to the agreement in recent months.
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