Lee Zai-ming says all communication channels between South and North Korea have been severed
On June 19, South Korean President Lee Zai-ming held a briefing at the Blue House in Seoul regarding the outcomes of the G7 Summit and his visits to multiple European countries. During the event, he stated that all current communication channels between South Korea and North Korea have now been cut off.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee Zai-ming said that emergency hotlines and communication lines between South and North Korea have all been interrupted. Bridges and roads along the military demarcation line have also been blocked, with both sides occasionally experiencing small-scale clashes—resulting in an unoptimistic situation.
Lee Zai-ming emphasized that although the current South Korean government is pursuing a policy of easing tensions toward North Korea, hostile sentiments still persist, and condemnatory and confrontational rhetoric remains widespread. He warned that this situation may continue for a considerable period ahead. He reiterated that efforts would be continuously made to ease hostilities and create favorable conditions for peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity.
Currently, the North Korean authorities have not issued any direct response to South Korea’s statement indicating that “all communication channels have been severed.” However, the disruption of communication channels has long been Pyongyang’s established policy over the past year and a half. Since late 2023, North Korea has unilaterally cut all contact points between the two sides, destroyed railways and highways connecting South and North Korea, abolished institutions dealing with South Korea, and officially defined inter-Korean relations as “hostile” and “forever unable to reunify.” Therefore, the hotline interruptions, road blockages, and heightened tensions highlighted by Lee Zai-ming are precisely the results of North Korea’s systematic effort to sever ties with South Korea.
Source: sputniknews
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868475343105036/
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