SEOUL: South Korea will suspend certain military activities along its border with North Korea, President Lee Jae Myung announced on Friday. The move is part of efforts to improve relations between the two nations, which remain technically at war.
Speaking on the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule, Lee pledged to reinstate the 2018 September 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement. The pact, designed to reduce tensions, had previously halted military exercises near the border before breaking down amid rising hostilities.
The Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice, leaving the peninsula divided. “Everyone knows that the long drawn-out hostility benefits people in neither of the two Koreas,“ Lee said during his speech in Seoul.
His administration has already taken steps to lower tensions, including stopping anti-North Korea propaganda broadcasts and preventing activists from sending leaflets via balloons. “We will take proactive, gradual steps to restore the September 19 Military Agreement,“ Lee added, without specifying a timeline.
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol had suspended the pact in June 2024 after North Korea sent trash-filled balloons across the border. The agreement had included measures like halting live-fire drills, removing guard posts, and maintaining communication hotlines.
Lee expressed hope that North Korea would reciprocate the gesture. “I hope that North Korea will reciprocate our efforts to restore trust and revive dialogue,“ he said.
Analysts remain sceptical about Pyongyang’s response. Cheong Seong-chang of the Sejong Institute predicted North Korea would likely ignore or criticise the move. Yeom Don-jay, a former intelligence official, suggested stronger incentives, such as sanctions relief, might be needed to engage Kim Jong Un.
Meanwhile, Lee also addressed South Korea’s strained ties with Japan, advocating for a “forward-looking” approach. Relations have long been affected by historical disputes stemming from Japan’s colonial rule over Korea.
Lee is set to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on August 23, as both nations navigate U.S. trade policies under President Donald Trump. Despite past criticism of Seoul’s outreach to Tokyo, Lee has recently emphasised strengthening bilateral ties.
The upcoming summit with Trump later this month could influence North Korea’s stance, according to observers. – Reuters