South Korea's ruling party urges North Korea to accept offer for military talks

By Anadolu staff

South Korea’s ruling party urged North Korea on Thursday to accept its offer for military talks, local media reported.

Kim Byung-kee, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), said North Korea should immediately respond to their call, according to Yonhap News Agency.

"As South Korea's first official proposal for talks with the North since President Lee Jae Myung took office, it will mark an important opportunity to resume inter-Korean dialogue," Kim said during a policy coordination meeting at the National Assembly.

His statement came after Seoul on Monday proposed holding military talks with Pyongyang to discuss how to clarify the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in a bid to prevent possible clashes near the inter-Korean border.

Regarding criticisms from the North over the recent US-South Korea summit, Kim said if Pyongyang has "something to say, it can fully do so when inter-Korean talks are held."

If North Korea accepts South Korea’s offer for military talks, it would mark the first inter-Korean military dialogue since general-level military talks in 2018.

Since 2000, the two Koreas have convened two ministerial-level and around 40 working-level military talks.