ⓒYONHAP News

President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered officials to look into 

suspending the two Koreas' tension-diffusing military agreement // signed in 2018 

should North Korea again break South Korean territory or airspace in the future.

According to Yoon's office on Wednesday, 

the president gave such an order 

during a meeting with national security aides and military officials, 

where he was briefed on Seoul's counter-strategy 

following Pyongyang's recent drone incursion.

Yoon ordered defense minister Lee Jong-sup 

to speed up plans to launch an exclusive drone unit 

to conduct reconnaissance patrols and electronic warfare, 

and to accelerate system development 

for the production of small-sized and stealth drones within the year.

The top office said the president has commanded the Army 

to prepare an "overwhelming" response to the North's provocations 

and maintain a firm readiness posture.

The unification ministry is mulling over 

resuming broadcasts along the demilitarized zone, 

nearly five years after South Korea stopped blasting propaganda into North Korea 

via loudspeakers set up along the border. 

The review was prompted by Yoon’s directive

on the possible suspension of the 2018 inter-Korean military pact.

The unification ministry is reviewing the possible legality 

of civic groups resuming propaganda leaflet activities 

and the military’s loudspeaker broadcasts towards North Korea 

should the Yoon Suk Yeol administration suspend the 2018 inter-Korean military pact.

According to an official from the unification ministry on Thursday, 

relevant departments are assessing whether these actions would be permitted 

after President Yoon on Wednesday ordered his office 

to consider suspending the 2018 military agreement 

if the North violates South Korea's airspace again.

The ministry is specifically assessing the possible resumption in accordance with the Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act after North Korean drones crossed into the South last week.

Article 23 of the act grants the president the authority to suspend any agreement between the two countries when deemed necessary for the preservation of national security, but Article 24 prohibits psychological warfare along the border, including loudspeaker broadcasts and leaflet dissemination.

The broadcasts, which range from K-pop songs to bulletins on the South’s economic prosperity, triggered the ire of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who has in the past reportedly threatened to destroy them if they were not shut off. The civic groups’ leaflets primarily denounce Kim and his regime.

Media reports on Thursday claimed that the president also instructed his staff to look into suspending the Pyongyang Joint Declaration in the event of another territorial violation.

The unification ministry official, however, cautioned against misinterpretations of the president’s order regarding the military agreement, stressing that a suspension is only being considered for the military agreement and not the overarching Pyongyang Joint Declaration.