South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has pledged to restore dialogue with North Korea and halted border loudspeaker broadcasts as a first step toward easing inter-Korean tensions.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Thursday pledged to swiftly restore communication channels with North Korea, a day after his government halted the use of border loudspeakers in a bid to ease escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The move marks President Lee’s first tangible step towards reducing hostilities since taking office.

In a speech commemorating the 25th anniversary of the landmark 2000 inter-Korean summit, Lee said his administration would work to “stop the exhausting hostilities” and pursue a path of dialogue, cooperation, and peace between the two Koreas.

“We will swiftly restore a crisis management system that prevents accidental clashes and avoids escalating tensions,” Lee stated. “To that end, we will make efforts to quickly restore the suspended inter-Korean communication channels.”

The statement was delivered on Lee’s behalf by Woo Sang-ho, Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs, during a ceremony held to honour the June 15 Declaration signed by former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000. Lee praised the agreement as a milestone in inter-Korean relations and committed to upholding its spirit.

“Let’s transform the Korean Peninsula risk into a Korean Peninsula premium. That is the path forward for both the South and the North,” he said.

President Lee’s announcement comes amid heightened military and political tensions following a series of provocations by North Korea, including the launch of balloons carrying waste across the border. In response, South Korea had resumed psychological warfare broadcasts via loudspeakers earlier this month, a move that was widely criticised for exacerbating tensions.

However, in a reciprocal step, North Korea has reportedly ceased its own loudspeaker broadcasts following Seoul’s decision to turn theirs off. While this development is seen as a potential opening for dialogue, analysts remain cautious about the prospect of meaningful engagement.

Pyongyang has so far shown little interest in dialogue with either Seoul or Washington, as it deepens its strategic alignment with Russia. The North Korean regime has largely ignored previous overtures from the South and continues to resist calls to resume denuclearisation talks.

Despite this, President Lee reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing peace and stability in the region.

“I will make every effort to promote peace, coexistence, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula,” Lee said, reiterating that the door remains open for diplomatic engagement.

The South Korean military confirmed that loudspeaker facilities near the Demilitarised Zone, including those in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, had ceased operations as of Wednesday. While the gesture has been welcomed domestically, it remains to be seen whether North Korea will reciprocate more broadly or resume hostile activities.

With tensions in the region continuing to simmer and inter-Korean relations hanging in the balance, President Lee’s administration appears determined to reverse the current trajectory and rebuild the fragile trust between the two nations.