Inter-Korean Relations
Lee Jae-myung vows respect for North Korea's system in March 1 address
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President Lee Jae-myung pledged on March 1 to respect North Korea's political system and refrain from hostile actions during a ceremony marking the 107th anniversary of the March First Independence Movement. He emphasized building peace on the Korean Peninsula and vowed to facilitate the resumption of dialogue between the two Koreas and between Pyongyang and Washington. Lee also promised a thorough investigation into recent drone incursions and measures to prevent recurrence.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signaled openness to improving ties with the United States if it drops its hostile policy, during the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, but rejected dialogue with South Korea, declaring permanent hostility. This came amid warnings of 'terrible retaliatory attacks' at a military parade marking the congress's close. South Korea expressed regret but vowed to pursue peaceful coexistence.
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South Korean investigators have requested an arrest warrant for a graduate student suspected of directing drone flights into North Korean airspace. The student, in his 30s and surnamed Oh, allegedly sent drones four times to test their performance for a potential drone business profit. The incidents have escalated tensions between the two Koreas.
Seven months into his presidency, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is set to refocus on delivering tangible results in diplomacy and the economy ahead of local elections. While the political situation has stabilized, challenges remain with a sluggish economy and dim prospects for North Korean dialogue.
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Unification Minister Chung Dong-young visited 105-year-old separated family member Kim Bong-hwan in Seoul on December 24 and pledged to address humanitarian issues through dialogue with North Korea. Kim asked the minister to confirm whether her family members in the North are still alive, expressing her lifelong wish to reunite with siblings separated during the Korean War. Chung described separated families as the 'biggest sorrow' from the war and vowed to make every effort using various means.
The South Korean military has recovered the remains of 25 soldiers believed killed during the 1950-53 Korean War from a former battlefield in the Demilitarized Zone. This is the first such excavation in three years at White Horse Ridge in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, as part of measures to reduce military tensions between the two Koreas. The 40-day search, involving South Korean and U.S.-led U.N. Command troops, also yielded 1,962 pieces of belongings.
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North Korea is holding a state funeral for its former ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong-nam, who died at age 97. Leader Kim Jong-un paid respects with deep condolences, joined by Chinese and Vietnamese ambassadors. South Korea's unification minister also expressed condolences, noting Kim's role in inter-Korean dialogue.