Johannesburg: President Lee Jae Myung has warned of risks of accidental clashes with North Korea, emphasizing that Seoul must persistently work to resume dialogue with Pyongyang to mitigate such risks.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee made these remarks on inter-Korean relations during a press conference aboard his flight from Johannesburg to Ankara, part of his four-nation trip to Africa and the Middle East. He expressed concerns over the increasingly hostile and confrontational inter-Korean relations, highlighting North Korea's extreme actions and the absence of basic trust. Lee noted the precarious situation where accidental clashes could occur at any time.
Lee reiterated his call for dialogue following Seoul's proposal for military talks to clarify the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), aimed at preventing unintended clashes near the border. This proposal emerged amid repeated incidents of North Korean soldiers briefly crossing the MDL while conducting activities in the buffer zone. He pointed out that North Korea's installation of triple layers of barbed wire along the MDL increases the risk of warning-fire incidents due to differing views on the precise border line.
"With all communication channels severed, even if an accidental clash occurs, there is no way to resolve it," Lee stated. He emphasized the necessity of pursuing dialogue with Pyongyang to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, even if North Korea remains unresponsive.
While reaffirming that unification with North Korea is South Korea's ultimate goal, Lee stressed that it should be approached from a long-term perspective. He clarified that South Korea has no intention of pursuing unification by absorption and emphasized that discussions on unification should only proceed after dialogue resumes and peaceful coexistence is established.
When questioned about the possibility of South Korea curtailing its joint military drills with the United States to entice Pyongyang to the negotiating table, Lee deemed it premature to make conclusions, labeling the matter as "the most sensitive" issue for North Korea. He mentioned that while a stable peace regime where large-scale exercises are unnecessary would be desirable in the long term, decisions regarding drills should be based on evolving circumstances.
"If a stable peace regime is firmly established between the two Koreas, it would be desirable not to conduct the drills," he commented. "Depending on the situation, reducing or postponing the exercises could become either the result of building a peace regime or leverage to help create one. It is difficult to say at this moment which it will be."
Pyongyang has long criticized the Seoul-Washington exercises as "war rehearsals," while the allies maintain they are defensive in nature.
On relations with China, Lee reiterated that South Korea should stably manage ties with its largest trading partner while advancing its alliance with the U.S. to a strategic comprehensive one encompassing the economy and technology. "The basic principle of our diplomacy is the Korea-U.S. alliance, while stably managing relations with China," he said. "The foundation of this approach is pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests. I have clearly communicated this principle to both the U.S. and China."
Addressing the diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent remarks on Taiwan, Lee advocated for a "cool-headed approach" guided by national interest. He revealed that he held separate discussions with Takaichi and Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in South Africa to prevent misunderstandings or conflict. "I have explained our position in the two meetings," he added, noting that "there are no additional risk factors" in South Korea's relations with the neighboring nations.
South Korea, China, and Japan reportedly held consultations to arrange their first trilateral summit since May 2024. However, the prospects for trilateral engagement remain uncertain amid the diplomatic row between Tokyo and Beijing.