South Korea stresses calm, step-by-step engagement with North Korea, rejecting fears of any sudden or aggressive policy shift under President Lee Jae Myung’s administration.

Seoul

South Korea’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said on Wednesday that the government will follow a peaceful and gradual approach in its North Korea policy, easing concerns about any radical direction toward Pyongyang. He made the remarks during a meeting with Kim Jong-hyuk, president of the United Christian Churches of Korea, where church leaders expressed worry that the liberal administration might be overly lenient with the North.

Chung firmly rejected these concerns, stating that the government cannot consider “shocking or radical methods” in its dealings with North Korea. He explained that even strong ideas cannot succeed without public support and added that extreme policies would only create public hostility.

He said the government continues to follow three long-standing principles of past liberal administrations — peaceful, phased and gradual methods. Since taking office in June, President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to restart dialogue and build reconciliation with Pyongyang.

Last week, the defence ministry suggested holding military talks with the North to clarify the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and prevent accidental border clashes. So far, North Korea has not responded. On November 20, the ruling Democratic Party urged Pyongyang to accept the proposal, saying it would help reduce tensions along the border.

The issue has gained urgency as North Korean soldiers have repeatedly crossed the MDL while working near the border, sometimes while armed. South Korea responded by issuing warnings and firing warning shots when boundary violations occurred.

If accepted, the talks would be the first military dialogue between the two Koreas since 2018. Since 2000, the two sides have held two ministerial-level meetings, 40 working-level sessions and several general-level military talks, though progress has often stalled due to rising tensions.