South Korea seeks military dialogue with North Korea to clarify border lines and prevent clashes along the tense DMZ.
Seoul
South Korea on Monday formally proposed military talks with North Korea to address escalating concerns over repeated incursions and rising tensions along the inter-Korean border. The move comes after multiple incidents in which armed North Korean soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) while working near the border, including land clearing and mine-laying operations within buffer zones.
This marks Seoul’s first official dialogue offer since President Lee Jae Myung assumed office in June, pledging to restore communication channels with Pyongyang and ease cross-border tensions. Our military officially suggests holding inter-Korean talks between military authorities to discuss how to establish the Military Demarcation Line, to prevent accidental clashes and ease military tensions, said Kim Hong-cheol, South Korea’s Deputy Minister for National Defence Policy.
Kim expressed hope that Pyongyang would respond swiftly and constructively to the proposal, which aims to reduce tensions and rebuild military trust. He added that Seoul is flexible regarding the talks’ format, including venue and schedule.
Since April 2023, North Korea has deployed troops near the MDL inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) to plant mines, install anti-tank barriers, and reinforce barbed wire fencing. Kim Jong-un has previously declared that South Korea is no longer a partner but a hostile state, deepening the security rift.
North Korean soldiers have crossed the border around 10 times this year, including an incident in October when two armed soldiers briefly crossed the line while attempting to pursue a defector. South Korean forces have responded by broadcasting warnings and firing warning shots in several cases.
One key issue is the deterioration of MDL markers—installed in 1953 after the Korean War armistice. Of the roughly 1,300 original boundary posts, only about one-sixth remain clearly identifiable.