South Korea's Defense Ministry has reaffirmed that the inter-Korean military agreement must be followed, amid speculations that the North Korean military is taking steps to scrap the accord. 

The ministry issued the position on Wednesday when asked about the North Korean army's statement that it will redeploy troops to Mount Geumgang and Gaeseong near the border. 

The ministry said the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement should be fully implemented to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and to prevent accidental clashes between the two nations.

The military accord was signed in 2018 during an inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang to ease military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. 

The ministry issued a similar statement the previous day when the North blew up the inter-Korean liaison office days after it threatened to do so over Seoul's handling of anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaigns by defectors.

The ministry also stressed that the South Korean military will respond strongly if North Korea engages in military provocation.