Gov't to tap seasoned N. Korea hands for new task force on inter-Korean dialogue

The Demilitarized Zone and Gaeseong Industrial Complex in Kaesong, North Korea, is seen from the border city of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 18. Yonhap

South Korea is formalizing preparations for potential inter-Korean dialogue, moving to establish a specialized task force of veteran negotiators despite North Korea’s continued silence.

The Ministry of National Defense said Friday that the new task force will focus on maintaining “professionalism and continuity” in future military talks, including stalled discussions over the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). Defense officials also held a workshop with the Ministry of Unification at the Office of Inter-Korean Dialogue to bolster preparedness for potential talks with North Korea.

"The ministry plans to form a preparatory task force centered on officials with prior experience to enhance the professionalism and continuity of inter-Korean military talks," the defense ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also expressed hope that a communication channel aimed at easing military tensions between the two Koreas can be established soon.

As part of efforts to reinforce institutional legitimacy, the ministry said it plans to revive its North Korea Policy Division, which is currently named the North Korea Strategy Division. Under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration, the unit focused primarily on sanctions against Pyongyang.

The renewed push follows the defense ministry’s formal proposal on Nov. 17 for military talks to establish a mutually recognized baseline for the MDL, aimed at preventing unintended clashes along the border. The offer came after several incidents in recent months in which North Korean soldiers crossed into the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone.

This marked South Korea’s first formal request for military talks with the North in seven years. Pyongyang has yet to respond to the proposal.

The MDL was drawn under the 1953 Armistice Agreement that halted the Korean War, with more than 1,200 markers initially placed along the boundary. Over the decades, weather and erosion have reduced the number of clearly identifiable markers to roughly 200.

Since April last year, North Korea has deployed troops near the MDL to plant mines and reinforce barbed wire fences. This followed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s declaration in late 2023, defining South Korea as the regime’s "No.1 enemy state."

According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korean troops have crossed the border 26 times since last year during these operations, including 17 incidents reported this year alone.