A senior South Korean official said on January 14 that the government is reviewing the possibility of restoring the September 19, 2018 Inter-Korean Military Agreement with North Korea. The remarks were made by Wee Sung-lok, director of South Korea’s National Security Office, at a press conference in Nara, Japan, during a visit accompanying President Lee Jae-myung.
Wee said that reviving the agreement is a key policy direction and reflects guidance from President Lee, but emphasized that the issue is complex and involves multiple stakeholders, meaning no concrete decisions have yet been finalized.
President Lee previously signaled this approach on August 15, 2025, during a speech marking the 80th anniversary of Korea’s Liberation Day. He said South Korea would take the initiative in restoring the September 19 Military Agreement in a phased manner to prevent accidental clashes between the two Koreas and to rebuild military confidence.
The 2018 agreement, signed following the Panmunjom Declaration, aimed to reduce military tensions across the Korean Peninsula and establish it as a “permanent peace zone.” South Korea suspended the agreement in June 2024, and discussions on its potential revival are now underway.
Source: Xinhua, January 14, 2026
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