Lee vows to seek measures to reduce military tensions with N. Korea

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday pledged to persistently seek practical ways to reduce military tensions with North Korea, even as the two Koreas are at odds over the recent blast of North Korean mines along the border.

The president made the remarks on North Korea at a ceremony marking the 78th Armed Forces Day at the military headquarters in Gyeryongdae, South Chungcheong Province, following last week's explosions of two North Korean mines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that left three South Korean soldiers wounded.

"My administration will consistently pursue practical measures to reduce military tensions between the two Koreas," Lee said.

"The knots in inter-Korean relations are extremely complex, but we will steadily, patiently strive to untie them, one by one," the president said.

He said peace and prosperity must be forged with "our own hands," and that "the surest form of security is one that renders conflict unnecessary, in other words, one that creates peace."

"For the sake of peace on the Korean Peninsula, the two Koreas must find a way to win together and build trust," the president said, adding building trust "begins to take root, little by little, when words are matched by actions."

He also invited North Korea to join Seoul on "the path of restoring trust and resuming dialogue."

Lee's message came a day after the South Korean military announced the DMZ blast caused by mines planted by North Korean mines constitutes a "blatant violation" of the armistice agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War and demanded an apology and responsible measures from Pyongyang.

South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul earlier said Seoul will take "corresponding measures" if North Korea is confirmed to be behind the mine blast.

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, however, denied the country's responsibility for the blast and went on to accuse Seoul of fabricating the findings.

The South Korean president said his heart "remains heavy" for the soldiers wounded in the "unfortunate accident" in the DMZ, wishing them "a swift recovery."

Lee, meanwhile, reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening self-reliant national defense, saying, "self-reliance in national defense is sovereignty itself."

As part of the commitment, South Korea will acquire indigenous nuclear-powered submarines by the mid-2030s, while finalizing the retaking of wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean troops from the United States, he noted.

As a way to address the growing challenge of shrinking military recruits, the president also vowed to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and manned-unmanned teaming systems, while establishing an integrated military academy including the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.

In a subsequent luncheon with government officials, lawmakers, military service members and veterans, Lee reiterated his commitment to retaking wartime OPCON, saying, "There is no other country in the world that relies on other people or countries for the military command of its troops."

"By swiftly finalizing the transfer of wartime OPCON, we will regain our status as a genuinely sovereign and independent country and a full democratic republic," the president said.

"We should, without fail, recover military sovereignty, which is one of the key national sovereign rights," he added.