South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s attempt at engagement with the North by unilaterally reviving some inter-Korean agreements despite Pyongyang’s persistent hostility is a long-term reconciliation strategy, according to analysts.
Lee on Monday ordered government ministries to prepare for a phased implementation of the suspended agreements, beginning with those that Seoul could act on independently.
His latest call for trust building came as the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise began across South Korea, bringing together 18,000 South Korean troops and thousands of American soldiers for 11 days of joint drills from Monday until August 28.
Long branded by Pyongyang as a rehearsal for invasion, the event has consistently spurred North Korea to engage in past brinkmanship, from missile launches to artillery drills.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Lee said: “It is better to win without fighting than to win by fighting. Even better than that is to create a peaceful state in which fighting is unnecessary – this is the most reliable security.”
Calling for “the courage to steadily take steps to ease tensions while firmly maintaining an ironclad defence posture”, he added: “True security lies in safeguarding peace.”