North Korea announces reestablishment of official communication with South Korea

In an ad broadcast by state media, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has revealed that severed direct lines of communication between North Korea and South Korea will be re-established again at 9 a.m. local time on Monday.

According to the statement from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s decision is “part of an effort to meet the expectations and desire of the whole country for a speedy restoration of relations. inter-Korean relations and the establishment of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula “.

The KCNA statement stresses that Seoul and its authorities must “bear in mind the importance of reopening the lines of communication and make active efforts to resolve the outstanding issues in order to save inter-Korean relations and open their doors. brilliant prospect “.

The North Korean regime blew up the liaison office in its border town of Kaesong and unilaterally cut off all inter-Korean lines of communication in June last year., in retaliation for the anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent from the South. Telephone lines They were back online at the end of July, but the North has refused to answer regular calls from Seoul since August., to protest against the plans of South Korea and the United States to organize their joint military exercises.

A few weeks ago, Kim jong-un had already expressed his support for the restoration of communication and had indicated that the measure would see the “resumption of relations between the North and the South from the current stagnation and the establishment of lasting peace on the peninsula. of Korea “.

In his recent speech to the UN, South Korean President Moon Jae-in again offered to officially declare the end of the Korean War of 1950-1953.. North Korea called the offer a “admirable idea” and said it was only willing to discuss improving inter-Korean relations when Seoul “ceases to” apply double standards against its attempts to do so. ‘defensive weapons and its hostile policy towards its regime.

Pyongyang’s initiative to reconnect hotlines suggests that cross-border dialogue and cooperation will resume soon.

Seoul’s government has previously said that reactivating hotlines will help resolve a number of outstanding issues between the two Koreas and expressed hope that the lines will continue to operate stably in the future.

Unification Minister Lee In-young told reporters in Berlin on Sunday that South Korea would push for high-level talks with North Korea before the end of this year. Lee In-young was traveling to three European countries, including Germany, to garner support for Seoul’s efforts to improve relations with Pyongyang.

Kim Jong-un’s move also comes just days after Pyongyang sparked international concern with a series of missile tests.. The tests even led the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting.

In September the regime launched what it said was a long-range cruise missile, earlier this week it tested what it described as a hypersonic glider vehicle, which the South Army said Korean, appeared to be in the early stages of development, and last Friday it said it had successfully fired a new anti-aircraft missile.

In addition, Pyongyang today blasted the UN Security Council for holding an emergency missile testing meeting, accusing member states of playing with a “time bomb.”

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