South Korea renewed its offer on Friday to hold military talks with North Korea to discuss divergent views on the border, amid escalating tensions following the explosion of landmines inside the demilitarized zone last month that injured three South Korean soldiers.
Yonhap News Agency quoted Deputy Defense Minister Kim Hong-chol as saying at a press conference: "There are still different perceptions regarding the military demarcation line," referring to the border line separating the two Koreas. He added: "The South Korean Ministry of Defense officially proposes holding military talks with North Korean authorities, with the aim of jointly verifying the locations of the land military demarcation line, restoring military communication lines, and discussing measures to prevent accidental clashes along the border."
Kim pointed to the possibility of holding a trilateral dialogue involving the "United Nations Command," which manages and implements the armistice agreement, stating: "If necessary, a trilateral meeting including the UN Command can be held, and we expect a positive response from the North." The spokesperson for the South Korean Ministry of Defense, Jeong Bit-na, had warned on Thursday that Seoul would consider taking similar measures if Pyongyang resumed broadcasting propaganda via loudspeakers towards the South, calling for an end to what she described as incorrect claims and intrusions across the military demarcation line, and for engagement in dialogue efforts.
Since April 2024, North Korea has been fortifying its borders by planting landmines, installing barbed wire, and building anti-tank barriers, following its declaration at the end of 2023 that South Korea is an "hostile state." Despite repeated calls from Seoul for dialogue, Pyongyang continues to refuse to engage.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
Comments (0)