Lee Pledges Practical Steps to Ease Military Tensions With North Korea

President Lee Jae Myung pledged Thursday to keep seeking practical measures to reduce military tensions with North Korea, signaling that his administration intends to preserve its peace-oriented approach despite a recent mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone.

Lee made the remarks during a ceremony marking South Korea’s 78th Armed Forces Day at the military headquarters in Gyeryongdae, South Chungcheong Province. His comments came after two North Korean mines exploded in the DMZ last week, injuring three South Korean soldiers.

The president said his administration would consistently pursue workable steps to lower tensions between the two Koreas. He acknowledged that inter-Korean relations remain deeply complicated but said the government would proceed steadily and patiently in trying to resolve those difficulties one at a time.

The statement places de-escalation alongside the government’s responsibility to respond to a serious border incident. South Korea’s military has attributed the Sept. 21 blast to mines planted by North Korea and described the incident as a violation of the armistice that halted fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War. Seoul has demanded an apology and responsible action from Pyongyang. North Korea has denied involvement and rejected the South Korean findings.

Lee’s remarks also followed a call from Unification Minister Chung Dong-young for the government’s response to the blast not to derail broader efforts to build peace on the Korean Peninsula. Chung said the incident required a thorough investigation and an appropriate response, while warning against allowing it to undermine the pursuit of lasting peace. He cut short a European trip and was due to return to South Korea to address the situation.

The DMZ remains one of the world’s most heavily fortified frontiers even though it was established as a buffer zone under the armistice. The two Koreas are technically still at war because the conflict ended without a peace treaty. Land mines and military activity near the border therefore carry the risk that a localized incident could widen into a larger confrontation.

By emphasizing practical tension-reduction measures during the country’s principal military commemoration, Lee presented deterrence and dialogue as parallel elements of his North Korea policy. His government now faces the challenge of demonstrating accountability for the injured soldiers while preventing the mine dispute and competing accusations from further narrowing the already limited space for inter-Korean engagement.