United Nations troops have begun carrying handguns on the South Korean side of the Joint Security Area on the military demarcation line that separates the country from North Korea.

The UN Command announced the measure on Tuesday in response to North Korea's redeployment of weapons on its side of the area last month. The North's move ran counter to a 2018 agreement aimed at reducing inter-Korean military tension.

The UN Command said in a statement that it has authorized its guard forces on the South Korean side of the JSA to "re-arm to protect both civilians and military personnel."

South Korean media say Seoul asked the UNC in early December to allow rearmament on the South Korean side.

The South's government partially suspended the 2018 deal on November 22 in protest of the North's launch of a spy satellite the day before.

This prompted Pyongyang to announce that its military is no longer bounded by the deal.

North Korea has also put guard posts back near the military demarcation line separating two Koreas. The posts had been removed under the 2018 deal.