South Korea mulling imposing sanctions on N Korea in response to missile launches

South Korean military has been exploring means to respond to rth Korea's recent series of missile launches and military provocations. One of resorts that Seoul is mulling is scrapping 2018 inter-Korean comprehensive military agreement that requires two Koreas to cessation of hostilities, as well as suspension of  inter-Korean border military exercises, according to recent reports.

South Korea is considering scrapping  inter-Korean comprehensive military agreement and bolstering its defence capabilities, Korean Times reported.

"We should declare scrapping of military agreement if rth Korea carries out a seventh nuclear weapon test," Seoul's Ruling People Power Party (PPP) interim leer Rep. Chung Jin-suk said on Friday.

S Korea mulls sanctions as rth deploys 12 fighter jets

Rep. Chung Jin-suk's response came just a day after rth deployed 12 fighter jets to conduct alleged airstrikes drills on peninsula. 

"If we destroy pact, our military's flight boundaries and firing exercise zones in East and West seas will expand, bolstering our capabilities in surveilling rth Korea and deterrence firepower," Chung was quoted as saying by Korean times. South Korean foreign minister, Park Jin, stressed that  government is also considering "various" or options including imposing sanctions against rth Korean regime in a retaliatory move against Pyongyang's missile launches to weaken its nuclear capabilities. 

"We will sternly respond to rth's missile launches and will consider tightening sanctions against Pyongyang if needed," Park said, according to paper. He continued, "As re are various areas (that we could look at), such as maritime, cyber and financial sectors, we plan to review options to deal with m at an appropriate level."

South Korea's foreign ministry iterated that it is planning to ban  illicit ship-to-ship transfers of goods from country, in an attempt to dismantle Pyongyang's funding options for its nuclear weapons.

Presidential office of South Korea, in a statement, slammed rth Korea's short-range ballistic missile launches that it asserted were in "clear violation" of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. In a more scathing response, South Korea's Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup reportedly stated at  National Assembly: "If rth does t comply with agreement, it is inappropriate for us to keep it."

He furr ded, that  ministry "will review effectiveness of agreement reflecting level of rth Korea's provocations."