Ruling party urges restart of stalled inter-Korean dialogue on Oct 4 anniversary
In short
South Korea's ruling Democratic Party marked the 19th anniversary of the Oct. 4 inter-Korean summit declaration and called for stalled dialogue to resume. Chief spokesperson Park Sung-joon said North Korean mine laying had seriously injured South Korean soldiers, called the border fortification and mine laying a violation of the armistice agreement, and urged Pyongyang to take responsibility and return to talks. The party also cited President Lee's UN General Assembly remarks and pledged a phased approach toward a nuclear-free peninsula.
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The Democratic Party marked the 19th anniversary of the Oct. 4 inter-Korean summit declaration on Oct. 4 and called for stalled dialogue to resume. Park Sung-joon, the party's chief spokesperson, said in a written briefing that the Korean Peninsula “has drifted away from the promise of that day,” that inter-Korean dialogue has been cut off, and that North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities have become more advanced than before. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Park said mines laid by the North Korean military had seriously injured South Korean soldiers, adding that the deeper the confrontation and severance, the higher military tension rises and the greater the anxiety of soldiers and the public over security. The party urged North Korea to take a responsible attitude toward the mine explosion and to come to dialogue, saying that fortifying the border line and laying mines violate the armistice agreement and run counter to the Oct. 4 declaration. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The spokesperson also cited President Lee's recent remarks at the UN General Assembly on seeking joint growth through inter-Korean cooperation, and said the party would present a phased approach aimed at halting the advancement of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and moving long-term toward a nuclear-free peninsula. Park said the party, as the ruling party, would respond firmly to North Korean provocations and would work through the National Assembly to ease tension and restore inter-Korean dialogue. Dong-A Ilbo's report did not include these passages. [ 2 , 3 ]
According to the party's statement, the Oct. 4 declaration was made by then-President Roh Moo-hyun and then-National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il, and committed the two Koreas to ending military hostility and cooperating to guarantee detente and peace on the peninsula, with concrete tasks for a peace regime and shared prosperity. None of the reports included any North Korean response, and none gave further detail on the mine incident. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The statement sets out the ruling party's public position on North Korea policy at a time when, by its own account, inter-Korean dialogue is cut off and military tension is rising along the border. It also ties the anniversary of a past summit declaration to current demands on Pyongyang, signalling the terms the ruling party wants attached to any resumption of talks. The documents report no North Korean response, so no change in the situation is confirmed.
Key facts
- The Democratic Party marked the 19th anniversary of the Oct. 4 inter-Korean summit declaration on Oct. 4 and called for stalled dialogue to resume. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Chief spokesperson Park Sung-joon delivered the position in a written briefing that day. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Park said the peninsula has drifted from the promise of that day, inter-Korean dialogue has been cut off, and North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities have become more advanced than before. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Park said mines laid by the North Korean military seriously injured South Korean soldiers. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The party said border fortification and mine laying violate the armistice agreement and run counter to the Oct. 4 declaration, and urged North Korea to take a responsible attitude over the mine explosion and come to dialogue. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The party cited President Lee's recent UN General Assembly remarks on seeking joint growth through inter-Korean cooperation and said it would present a phased approach toward a nuclear-free peninsula. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The party said that as the ruling party it would respond firmly to North Korean provocations and work through the National Assembly to ease tension and restore dialogue. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Democratic Party marked the 19th anniversary of the Oct. 4 inter-Korean summit declaration and called for stalled dialogue to restart. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Chief spokesperson Park Sung-joon made the statement in a written briefing on Oct. 4. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The party said North Korean mine laying seriously injured South Korean soldiers and urged Pyongyang to take responsibility and return to dialogue. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The party said border fortification and mine laying violate the armistice agreement and the Oct. 4 declaration. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- When the mine explosion occurred, how many soldiers were injured and what their current condition is. All three documents mention the incident only in the party's words and give no date, number or location.
- What President Lee said at the UN General Assembly and when, beyond the party's description of it. Reported only as the party's citation in two documents, with no direct account or official text.
- Whether the proposed phased approach toward a nuclear-free peninsula is a government plan or a party position. Presented only as the spokesperson's statement in two documents.
- North Korea's response to the statement or to the demands. No document reports any North Korean reaction.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Dong-A Ilbo publishes its report on the Democratic Party's statement marking the 19th anniversary of the Oct. 4 declaration. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap publishes its report, including the party's reference to President Lee's UN General Assembly remarks and its pledge of a phased solution. [ 2 ]
- SBS News publishes its report on the same briefing. [ 3 ]