South Korea has suspended portions of its 2018 agreement with North Korea following Pyongyang’s claim of successfully launching a spy satellite into space. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo expressed concern over the launch, leading Seoul to resume surveillance flights along the border, defying the established no-fly zone. Despite uncertainties about the satellite’s functionality, analysts suggest its potential to enhance North Korea’s military capabilities by monitoring US and South Korean forces on the Korean Peninsula. This move prompts a rift in the previously de-escalating military pact, causing South Korea to reinstate surveillance operations along the border to closely monitor North Korean activities, previously concealed by mountainous terrain. While some fear escalated tensions, others believe North Korea’s consistent missile launches have already resumed a cycle of provocations, prompting Seoul’s necessary response.
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