Cheong Wa Dae to announce GSOMIA decision at 6 pm, termination plan apparently averted

South Korea's presidential office said Friday it will make public a decision on the fate of a military information-sharing agreement with Japan at 6 pm, six hours before it was scheduled to expire.

Kim You-geun, deputy director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, plans to hold a press briefing, it said.

The announcement follows final discussions on the issue of the General Security of Military Information Agreement.

Cheong Wa Dae initially planned to make an announcement on its plan to press ahead with the termination of the three-year-old pact.

But a related announcement was delayed amid news reports that it has convened a National Security Council session.

Japan's broadcaster NHK said Seoul has informed Tokyo of a decision not to end GSOMIA.

"(We) had lengthy discussions throughout the day and will soon announce the outcome," a Cheong Wa Dae official said earlier. The official did not rule out the possibility of "conditionally" postponing its expiry.  (Yonhap)