South Korea proposed military talks with North Korea on Friday to mutually confirm the precise location of their border and discuss restoring communication channels. The diplomatic push follows an explosion in the Demilitarized Zone that has strained relations between the neighbours.
Tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang have soared since the South blamed a blast inside the heavily fortified border zone on land mines laid by the North last month. Pyongyang has fiercely rejected the accusation, denying any involvement in the incident that injured three South Korean soldiers.
Kim Hong-cheol, deputy defense minister for policy, told reporters on Friday that the defense ministry formally proposed holding military talks. He stated the aim was to confirm the precise location of the land Military Demarcation Line, discuss ways to restore military communication lines, and prevent accidental clashes in border areas.
The proposal comes just days after Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korea’s leader, announced that Pyongyang had moved new troop units into firing positions along the border. Seoul’s defense ministry warned on Friday that it was difficult to predict what further incidents could occur if the situation continued unaddressed.
The ministry added that three-way talks involving the United Nations Command would also be possible. Specific dates and locations could be discussed through Panmunjom, the symbolic truce village where troops from both Koreas stand face to face, according to Kim, who said they hoped for a positive response from North Korea. Similar talks proposed by the South last year did not receive a response from Pyongyang.
On Tuesday, the South Korean military accused Pyongyang of attempting to shift the blame for escalating military tensions. It confirmed the use of loudspeakers and warning shots as legitimate defensive measures to prevent North Korean troops from crossing the Military Demarcation Line and to drive back soldiers who had crossed it.
Jin Yong-sung, chairman of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, ordered the military to respond with firm resolve should North Korea use Seoul’s actions as a pretext for aggressive action. Pyongyang has rejected calls for an apology and called the border situation grave on Monday, stating it was considering deploying additional tactical strike means to the area.
Kim Yo Jong said on Thursday that the North would place loudspeakers on standby along the border within days and had put unspecified new counter means on alert. Meanwhile, South Korea’s foreign ministry announced plans to send a letter to the president of the UN Security Council regarding the land mine incident, calling it a clear violation of the armistice agreement.
President Lee Jae Myung has called for the North to return to dialogue. Kim Yo Jong later dismissed the overture as the climax of the farce.
