South Korea’s President Moon urges Pyongyang to return to dialogue after threat of military action
- The recent flaring of animosity between the neighbours has stoked fear of an armed response from the North
- Kim Yo-jong, the sister of the North Korean leader, says it is better to take retaliatory measures than condemn the South’s behaviour
Besides the threat to sever ties, state media over the past few days have aired the possibility of closing a joint liaison office in the North, and retaliatory measures for a campaign by defectors to fly anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.
“North Korea should not cut communications, raise tension and try to go back to the past era of confrontation,” he said. “I hope it will resolve uncomfortable, difficult problems through communications and cooperation.”
Moon’s remarks came as South Korea on Monday marked the 20th anniversary of the first summit between the two nations, which had pledged to step up dialogue and cooperation.
At their own summit in 2018, Moon and Kim signed a declaration to work for a “complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula” and cease “all hostile acts”.