Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung called for efforts Thursday to mend strained inter-Korean ties, saying peace between the two Koreas is the most realistic and practical path to ensuring national security. Lee made the remarks while presiding over a National Security Council (NSC) meeting, the first since he took office in early June, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee emphasized the importance of restoring relations between South and North Korea, highlighting peace and coexistence as essential for safeguarding national security. He urged participants to consider the shifting international order, domestic political situations, and North Korea-related factors to avert threats to national security.
Lee has ordered the military to stop the propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts along the border and has called on civic groups to halt their distribution of anti-Pyongyang leaflets. He expressed hope that these reconciliatory gestures could pave the way for resuming dialogue with the North.
The NSC meeting saw the attendance of Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac, senior presidential aides, the deputy chief of the National Intelligence Service, and senior officials from the ministries of national defense, foreign affairs, unification, and safety.