South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Friday he would respect North Korea’s political system and not seek unification through annexation, calling for steps to defuse tensions and renew the 2018 inter-military agreement, Yonhap news agency reported.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Korean Peninsula from Japanese colonial rule in 1910-1945, Lee extended an olive branch to North Korea and outlined a vision for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
“We reaffirm our respect for North Korea’s current system, declare that we will not pursue any form of unification through annexation, and assert that we have no intention of engaging in hostile acts,” he said.
He said South Korea would take “proactive, gradual steps” to renew a 2018 military tension reduction pact to prevent accidental clashes and build trust.
Lee’s comments came a day after North Korean leader Kim Yo-jong’s sister rejected Seoul’s conciliatory moves, including the dismantling of propaganda loudspeakers along the border.
– North Korean leader hails ties with Russia –
Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed ties with Russia, saying both countries were once again creating a history of justice in the struggle for national dignity and sovereignty, and for world peace and stability.
Kim made the comments during an event in Pyongyang marking the 80th anniversary of liberation from Japanese colonial rule, which was also attended by Russian officials, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
“Today, friendly relations between North Korea and Russia are developing into an alliance unprecedented in history and are being consolidated in a common struggle to prevent the resurgence of neo-Nazism and to defend sovereignty, security and international justice,” he said.
