Seoul: South Korea on Tuesday urged Cambodia and Thailand to hold talks to resolve escalating border clashes, welcoming efforts by neighboring countries to ease tensions. "We appreciate ASEAN's efforts to de-escalate tensions and seek a peaceful resolution to the situation," foreign ministry spokesperson Park Il said in a commentary.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean government has emphasized the importance of resolving the situation peacefully through dialogue at the earliest date possible. Park Il expressed Seoul's support for the convening of a special foreign ministers' meeting among the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes both Cambodia and Thailand, to address the ongoing conflict.

Bangkok and Phnom Penh have been engaged in military clashes along their land border for a third week, resulting in at least 80 deaths after truce talks collapsed. The ongoing conflict has prompted regional concern and calls for a peaceful resolution.

The two countries agreed at Monday's meeting of ASEAN's top diplomats to hold talks between their defense officials on resuming the ceasefire. The clashes have been fueled by unresolved competing territorial claims dating back to the French colonial era, highlighting the complex historical issues at play in the region.