The United States and South Korea signed a new military agreement that lays out how the allies will communicate with each other and react to any attack by North Korea.

The United States and South Korea signed a new military agreement that lays out how the allies will communicate with each other and react to any attack by North Korea.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry spokesman, Kim Min-seok, said Monday that the new pact provides for the response to even low-level provocative moves conducted by Pyongyang.

The limited acts of provocation envisaged in the pact, signed on March 22, include maritime border incursions, shelling of border islands and infiltration by low-flying fighter jets or by Special Forces units.

The new accord also guarantees Washington’s support for Seoul’s retaliatory actions against the North. It further allows South Korea to request any additional US military force it considers necessary. 

“This allows both nations to jointly respond to the North's local provocations, with the South taking the lead and the US in support,” Kim said.

“It will have the effect of preventing the North from daring to provoke us,” the spokesman added.