South Korea says no security guarantees to North

ANKARA

The South Korean president on Wednesday said he could not provide security guarantees to rival North Korea and that he did not want the status quo to be changed through force, local media reported.

Yoon Suk-yeol latest remarks came during an event in Seoul to mark his 100 days in office.

“Guaranteeing regime security is not something the Republic of Korea government can do. But neither I nor the Republic of Korea government want the status quo changed unreasonably or by force in North Korea,” Yonhap News Agency quoted Yoon as saying.

On Monday, President Yoon offered economic incentives to North Korea in return for denuclearization and said Pyongyang's denuclearization is "essential" for peace in the region.

“The audacious initiative that I envision will significantly improve North Korea's economy and its people's livelihoods in stages if the North ceases the development of its nuclear program and embarks on a genuine and substantive process for denuclearization," Yoon said.

So far, North Korea has not responded to Yoon’s offer and his latest comments.

Tension on the peninsula rose in 2020 when North Korea attacked and blew up the inter-Korean liaison office along the border. Seoul warned of a strong response if Pyongyang "further worsens the situation."

However, tensions soared further last year when both Seoul and Pyongyang ramped up drills to show off their military might.

The US and South Korea have extended several offers of dialogue to North Korea to ease current tensions on the peninsula, but North Korea has not responded.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid