South Korea's Lee Calls for Practical Steps to Ease Tensions With North Korea

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 78th Armed Forces Day at the military headquarters in Gyeryongdae, South Chungcheong Province, Lee addressed the tensions following last week's explosions of two North Korean mines in the DMZ that injured three South Korean soldiers.

"My administration will consistently pursue practical measures to reduce military tensions between the two Koreas," Lee said.

"The knots in inter-Korean relations are extremely complex, but we will steadily, patiently strive to untie them, one by one," he added.

Lee said lasting peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula must be achieved through the efforts of both Koreas, arguing that the strongest form of security is one that prevents conflict from occurring.

"For the sake of peace on the Korean Peninsula, the two Koreas must find a way to win together and build trust," the president said, adding that trust can develop gradually when commitments are followed by concrete actions.

He also called on North Korea to join Seoul in efforts to rebuild trust and reopen dialogue.

Lee's remarks came a day after the South Korean military said the DMZ mine explosion constituted a "blatant violation" of the armistice agreement that brought the 1950-53 Korean War to an end. Seoul also called on Pyongyang to apologise and take responsible measures.

South Korean Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul had earlier warned that Seoul would take "corresponding measures" if North Korea was confirmed to have been responsible for the explosion.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong, rejected the accusation, denying Pyongyang's involvement and alleging that South Korea had fabricated the findings.

Lee also expressed concern for the three soldiers injured in the DMZ incident, saying his "heart remains heavy" over the "unfortunate accident" and wishing them a swift recovery.

The president meanwhile reiterated his commitment to strengthening South Korea's self-reliant defence capabilities, declaring that "self-reliance in national defence is sovereignty itself."

Under that approach, South Korea plans to acquire domestically developed nuclear-powered submarines by the middle of the 2030s while working towards completing the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean forces from the United States.

Lee also pointed to the challenge posed by declining numbers of military recruits. He said South Korea would expand the use of artificial intelligence and manned-unmanned teaming systems, while pursuing the creation of an integrated military academy bringing together the Army, Navy and Air Force.

At a subsequent luncheon attended by government officials, lawmakers, service members and veterans, Lee again stressed the importance of regaining wartime OPCON.

"There is no other country in the world that relies on other people or countries for the military command of its troops," he said.

"By swiftly finalising the transfer of wartime OPCON, we will regain our status as a genuinely sovereign and independent country and a full democratic republic," Lee added.

"We should, without fail, recover military sovereignty, which is one of the key national sovereign rights," he said.