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A seminar titled “The Sept. 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement: Its Significance and Challenges

During a seminar titled “The Sept. 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement: Its Significance and Challenges” that was held at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Nov. 23 by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), multiple experts on military affairs warned against over-the-top political bashing of the military agreement as representing capitulation to North Korea. Even on a military level, experts repeatedly emphasized, the comprehensive military agreement (CMA) would have a negligible impact on the South Korean military’s readiness.

Friday’s seminar was hosted by Hwang Byeong-mu, professor emeritus at the Korea National Defense University. During a presentation in the seminar, Kim Yeong-jun, a professor at the Graduate School of Security Affairs at the Korea National Defense University, said that “the military agreement reached by South and North Korea on Sept. 19 is a military confidence-building measure designed to minimize the possibility of unintended conflict” and argued that “making indiscriminate criticism without offering a policy alternative is unproductive and serves to politicize discourse.”

Ahn Gwang-su, head of KIDA’s Center for Research in Military Affairs and Development, addressed the CMA’s suspension of maritime gunnery and mobility exercises. “North Korea has between three and five times as many forces positioned in the areas in question. Reducing this threat is more beneficial for us,” Ahn said.

Removing GPs has effect of pushing North Korean border back by 2km

Ahn also brought up the demolition of guard posts in the DMZ. “Since the security operations carried out by North Korea are based on manpower, removing the guard posts has the effect of pushing the North Korean border back by 2km,” he said.

“In light of the capabilities of South Korea and US reconnaissance assets, the establishment of a no-fly zone will have a minimal effect [on our reconnaissance activities] while placing considerable restrictions on North Korea’s reconnaissance activities,” Ahn said.

“Since South and North Korea have no disagreement about the Northern Limit Line in the waters to the east of Yeonpyeong Island, it’s appropriate to set up a peace zone and joint fishery there on a trial basis,” Ahn also suggested.

“It’s true that this also contains negative elements such as measures that limit the operation of military assets even though not enough trust has formed between South and North Korea,” said Mun Seong-uk, head of the Unification Strategy Center at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, who was a participant in the seminar. Moon called for “meticulous verification that North Korea is implementing the agreement and the establishment of contingency plans.”

By Yoo Kang-moon, senior staff writer

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