South Korea proposes military dialogue as incursions by North intensify

South Korea’s military on Monday proposed holding talks with North Korea to prevent border clashes, following recent incidents in which North Korean troops crossed the military demarcation line.

“To prevent accidental clashes and ease military tensions, our military officially proposes that the two sides hold inter-Korean military talks to discuss the establishment of a clear reference line for the MDL,” said Kim Hong-cheol, deputy minister for national defence policy.

Incursions linked to missing markers

Kim said North Korean soldiers had repeatedly crossed the demarcation line while “installing tactical roads, fences, and laying mines”. He noted that South Korean troops had fired warning shots and broadcast messages urging the soldiers to return to their side. According to Kim, the recent incidents were connected to “the loss of many MDL markers” originally placed under the 1953 Armistice Agreement, which halted the Korean War.

The MDL lies within the Demilitarised Zone, a four-kilometre-wide buffer area extending for 250 kilometres across the Korean peninsula. Seoul and Pyongyang technically remain at war, as the conflict ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

Dialogue proposal aligns with new approach in Seoul

The proposal for military talks comes after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung offered broader discussions with the North without preconditions, marking a departure from the hawkish stance of his conservative predecessor. Since taking office in June, Lee has introduced several measures aimed at easing tensions, including removing border loudspeakers and banning the release of anti-Pyongyang leaflets.

Pyongyang has not yet responded to these steps. Under former president Yoon Suk Yeol, inter-Korean relations had reached one of their lowest points in years, with the North drawing closer to Moscow after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Last year, the two Koreas exchanged propaganda efforts, with the North sending thousands of rubbish-filled balloons southwards in response to leaflets launched by South Korean activists.

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