Seoul seeks talks to stop unintended clashes and to decrease tensions after reporting repeated violations by Pyongyang.
Published On 17 Nov 2025
South Korea has proposed talks with North Korea to keep away from border clashes, the primary such provide in seven years as Seoul seeks to ease army tensions with its nuclear-armed neighbour.
Citing latest incursions by North Korean troops, Kim Hong-cheol, deputy minister for nationwide defence coverage, instructed a information briefing on Monday that military-to-military channels might help avert an escalation.
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“To stop unintended clashes and ease army tensions, our army formally proposes that the 2 sides maintain inter-Korean army talks to debate the institution of a transparent reference line for the MDL,” he mentioned, referring to the army demarcation line on their border.
Seoul and Pyongyang technically stay at struggle as a result of the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement, which halted the battle between them, was by no means adopted by a peace treaty.
The MDL lies contained in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), a buffer zone that runs for 250km (160 miles) throughout the Korean Peninsula with a width of 4km (2.5 miles).
An estimated 2 million mines are peppered inside and alongside the border, which can be guarded by fight troops, barbed-wire fences and tank traps
Warning pictures fired
Kim mentioned North Korean troopers have repeatedly crossed the demarcation line “whereas putting in tactical roads, fences and laying mines”.
South Korean troopers have fired warning pictures and issued broadcasts to encourage the North Koreans to retreat, he mentioned.
The proposed army talks comply with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s provide of broader discussions with the North with out circumstances, a pointy reversal from the hawkish stance taken by his conservative predecessor.
Lee has taken a number of steps to ease tensions since taking workplace in June, together with eradicating propaganda loudspeakers alongside the border and banning the dropping of anti-Pyongyang leaflets.
North Korea has but to answer Lee’s overtures, and if it accepts the most recent proposal, it could mark the primary army talks between the 2 sides since 2018.
Lee’s makes an attempt to advance dialogue with Pyongyang have changed former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s hardline method to the North.
Yoon’s hawkish insurance policies have been halted when he was impeached and faraway from workplace over his declaration of martial legislation in December.
His elimination led to a snap presidential election in June, which introduced Lee to energy.
