The South Korean Ministry of Defense rejection accusations that recent military measures, including the suspension of an inter-Korean tension-reduction pact and the resumption of anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts, were aimed at provoking reactions from North Korea ahead of the controversial declaration of martial law in December.
The ministry described as unfounded suspicions raised by the opposition and some media, which suggested that the military may have acted intentionally to incite North Korea and justify President Yoon Suk Yeol’s imposition of martial law on March 3. December. “Our Army has consistently deterred North Korean provocations through a firm and coherent policy, maintaining solid military preparation,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry defended military activities as normal measures, noting that linking them with martial law raises security concerns and discourages military operations. He promised to cooperate fully with the martial law investigation.
He also specifically denied that the military had considered launching artillery strikes in response to garbage-laden balloons sent by North Korea last year. Instead, he assured that the armed forces collected the balloons that fell on South Korean territory without resorting to the use of weapons, describing suspicions about possible offensive plans as “false.”
The Defense Ministry also denied accusations that it sent propaganda leaflets to North Korea or used drones to fly over Pyongyang in October, measures that were supposedly intended to incite North Korean military retaliation. According to the JCS, there is no evidence of such operations, and any drone-related actions remained within operational security protocols.
In June, the National Security Council decided to suspend the 2018 pact to reduce inter-Korean tensions, after North Korea’s repeated launches of balloons containing garbage and propaganda messages. According to the ministry, Kim Jong-un’s regime has violated the pact more than 4,000 times since he unilaterally abandoned it in December 2023.
In response, the South Korean Army resumed propaganda broadcasts against Pyongyang near the border, something that had not been done since 2016. These actions, although criticized by some sectors, were justified as measures to counter North Korean provocations and maintain military preparation in one of the most tense areas in the world.
Allegations of possible strategic use of these activities to justify martial law remain under investigation, as the Ministry of Defense insists that its operations have been in line with the country’s legal and strategic standards.
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