Asia

South Korea’s Lee warns of clashes with North

South Korea’s Lee warns of clashes with North

SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned of the risk of accidental clashes with North Korea, which has cut off all channels of communication with Seoul. “Inter-Korean relations have, regrettably, turned very hostile and confrontational,” Lee told reporters.

“There is not even the most basic level of trust, and North Korea is making extremely extreme statements and taking extremely extreme actions,” he said, giving examples of recent cases of North Korea installing triple layers of barbed-wire fences on the border. “We have now reached a situation where we do not know when an accidental clash may occur,” said Lee. “All lines of connection have been cut. They are refusing all dialogue and contact. It is a very dangerous state,” he added.

Lee, however, said Seoul would continue to pursue communications with the North, saying the South was “always open”.

“Why do we exchange and talk with every other country but not with North Korea? Now let us exchange. And we support the normalisation of relations.” — Reuters

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