ISTANBUL: South Korea stated on Friday that it’ll search to “normalize” relations with the North by “direct and oblique” contacts.
“Whereas the South will sternly counter North Korea’s provocations by cooperation based mostly on the sturdy Seoul-Washington alliance, the federal government will even make efforts to restart inter-Korean dialogue this yr,” Seoul-based Yonhap Information quoted a report submitted to President Yoon Suk Yeol by the nation’s Unification Ministry.
Nevertheless, Unification Minister Kwon Younger-se clarified that the federal government “is just not contemplating making a brand new supply of talks to Pyongyang, though it stays keen to renew dialogue at any time.”
“It will be important for North Korea to come back again to dialogue with sincerity,” he stated at a press convention in Seoul.
“The federal government plans to hunt direct and oblique contact with North Korea by civic teams and worldwide organizations in a bid to open up probabilities to enhance strained inter-Korean ties,” the ministry stated.
The newest growth comes after tensions on Korean Peninsula escalated late final yr, when North Korea launched no less than 60 missiles whereas South Korea and the US held joint navy drills.
Drones from North Korea additionally crossed into South Korea, inflicting some airports to close down.
“If inter-Korean dialogues restart, the ministry plans to place its precedence on addressing points stemming from the Koreas’ division, similar to households separated by the 1950-53 Korean Warfare and South Koreans detained within the North,” the report stated.