Defense minister nominee cites need to restore inter-Korean military pact

Defense Minister nominee Ahn Gyu-back has reiterated the need to restore a now-scrapped inter-Korean military tension reduction agreement, a document showed Wednesday, as the new government seeks to mend frayed ties with North Korea. "For the sake of sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula, it is necessary to ease inter-Korean military tension and establish trust," Ahn said in a written statement, when asked about his opinion about the restoration of the pact by main opposition People Power Party Rep. Kang Dae-sik. "Considering the impact on military operations and a comprehensive review, I will seek a direction that practically contributes to easing inter-Korean military tensions and establishing trust," he said. South Korea fully suspended the 2018 agreement in June last year, under the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration, in response to the North's repeated trash balloon campaigns and attempts to disrupt GPS signals near border islands. Ahn underscored the significance of the agreement, saying it was the "first-ever comprehensive and practical" agreement aimed at lowering military tWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times