South Korea’s Lee urges North Korea to restore dialogue, pledges military buildup
The Hindu – International
You are logged in
Loading…
You don’t have any Active Subscription.
Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one.
Your active subscription(s)
Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials,
Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription
Products you’ve access to
Additional Subscription Benefits
Account Settings
Need help with your subscription?
Weather News October 1, 2026 e-Paper
The View From India
Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.
First Day First Show
News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.
Today's Cache
Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.
Science For All
The weekly newsletter from science writers takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in!
Data Point
Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers
THEdge
At the cutting edge of education and careers
Health Matters
Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there
Gender Agenda
Stories from beyond the binary.
The Hindu On Books
Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.
Weather News October 1, 2026 e-Paper
Updated – October 01, 2026 09:40 pm IST – GYERYONG
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung arrives for the Armed Forces Day at a military base in Gyeyong, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026.
| Photo Credit: AP
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday (October 1, 2026) called on North Korea to help restore trust and resume dialogue, a day after Seoul and Pyongyang traded barbs over a landmine incident that South Korea’s military and the UN Command said amounted to an armistice violation.
“I hope that the North joins us now on the path of restoring trust and resuming dialogue, following a long interruption,” Mr. Lee said in an address marking the country’s Armed Forces Day, adding that his administration would “consistently pursue practical measures to reduce military tensions between the two Koreas.”
The comments came after Seoul’s military and the UN Command said North Korea violated the Korean War armistice following a landmine blast last week that wounded three South Korean soldiers in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, rejected the findings in a statement on Wednesday (September 30, 2026), accused Seoul of fabricating the results and warned of retaliation.
Mr. Lee reaffirmed his goal of securing the transfer of wartime operational control from the United States to South Korea, calling it part of a long-standing push for self-reliant national defence.
In a wide-ranging defence reform agenda, Mr. Lee also said in his speech that South Korea would build nuclear-powered submarines by the mid-2030s and upgrade missile defence capabilities, including AI-based command-and-control systems and high-energy laser interceptors.
He said the modernisation drive would also involve expanding AI capabilities, restructuring the military for future warfare and strengthening the country’s three-axis defence system for detecting and intercepting missile threats.
Mr. Lee’s government has sought to reopen dialogue with North Korea, but Pyongyang has largely rejected Seoul’s overtures while pressing ahead with border fortification work along the DMZ.
Published – October 01, 2026 09:39 pm IST
South Korea
/
North Korea
/
war
Copyright© 2026, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
BACK TO TOP
Terms & conditions | Institutional Subscriber
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.
Fonte: The Hindu – International