Seoul:Unification Minister Chung Dong-young has proposed talks with North Korea to address issues along the border, following heightened tensions over a recent mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
According to Yonhap News Agency, the proposal came after South Korea's military attributed a land mine blast on September 21 to North Korean actions. The explosion, which occurred on the South's side of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) separating the two Koreas, injured three South Korean soldiers, two critically.
In response to the incident, the South Korean military demanded an apology and corrective measures from North Korea. However, Pyongyang denied involvement, accusing Seoul of fabricating its investigation results to blame the North.
Chung, who returned early from a European trip to manage the situation, emphasized the need to address the ceasefire line issues, citing the fading visibility of the MDL as a contributing factor to the DMZ blast. He urged both sides to meet and communicate to verify and survey the MDL anew.
The minister also advised against resuming anti-Pyongyang loudspeaker broadcasts along the border, labeling it an "irresponsible and dangerous" reaction to the blast. He reiterated South Korea's stance of not treating North Korea with hostility and advocated for dialogue to achieve peaceful coexistence.
Chung noted the importance of not using the incident to undermine the government's efforts toward peace. He pointed out that when the armistice agreement was signed in 1953, 1,292 signs were installed along the MDL to mark the ceasefire line, but only about 200 remain today due to weather and lack of maintenance.
The defense ministry has acknowledged discrepancies between the MDL baselines of the U.N. Command and the South Korean military, affecting about 60 percent of the border coordinates.