South Korean president warns of dangerous standoff with North Korea

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has warned that North and South Korea are in a “very dangerous situation,” where accidental clashes could occur at any moment, making it crucial for Seoul to engage in dialogue with Pyongyang.

Lee made the assessment of inter-Korean relations during a press conference on his flight from Johannesburg to Ankara on November 23 (local time), as part of his four-nation tour of Africa and the Middle East, Caliber.Az reports, citing Yonhap News Agency.

"Inter-Korean relations have turned extremely hostile and confrontational, and North Korea is engaging in very extreme actions without even the most basic level of trust," Lee told reporters. "We are in a very dangerous situation where accidental clashes could break out at any time."

He reiterated his call for dialogue after Seoul proposed military talks to clarify the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), aiming to prevent unintended clashes near the border.

On November 17, South Korea proposed military talks with North Korea to discuss establishing a clear boundary along the Military Demarcation Line to prevent armed clashes that could potentially trigger a larger conflict.

The proposal follows repeated incidents of North Korean soldiers briefly crossing the MDL while clearing land or laying mines in the buffer zone.

North Korea has not responded to this proposal.

Despite the 1953 Korean War armistice, North and South Korea remain technically at war and regularly face military confrontations, with the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) still one of the world’s most fortified borders.

In recent years, North Korea has embraced a “Two Hostile States” doctrine, formally rejecting reunification and designating South Korea as an enemy, which has worsened mutual distrust.

A 2018 inter‑Korean military agreement once limited heavy deployments near the Military Demarcation Line to reduce accidental clashes, but North Korea ended that agreement in 2024.

Broader peace efforts have stalled, partly because the 1953 armistice has never been replaced by a formal peace treaty — making the truce fragile and subject to breakdown amid shifting geopolitical alliances.

By Jeyhun Aghazada