Seoul, Oct. 1 (SANA) South Korean President Lee Jae-myung called on North Korea to rebuild trust and resume dialogue on Thursday while outlining plans to strengthen his country’s military, amid a dispute over landmine explosions along the border.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the 78th Armed Forces Day at the Gyeryongdae military headquarters, Lee pledged to pursue practical measures to reduce tensions between the two Koreas, Yonhap news agency reported.
He said peace on the Korean Peninsula required both sides to build trust and pursue common interests, adding that Seoul would address obstacles in relations with firmness and patience.
Lee also outlined plans to build nuclear-powered submarines by the mid-2030s and improve missile defenses using artificial intelligence and high-energy laser interceptors, Reuters reported.
He reaffirmed his goal of transferring wartime operational control from the United States to South Korea as part of efforts to strengthen national defense.
The speech came a day after South Korea’s military and the U.N. Command said North Korea had violated the Korean War armistice over a landmine incident last week that injured three South Korean soldiers in the Demilitarized Zone.
Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, rejected those findings on Wednesday, accused Seoul of fabricating the results and warned of retaliation, according to Reuters.
South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul had said Seoul would take corresponding measures if Pyongyang’s responsibility was confirmed.
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