[News Today] “Prep to implement inter-Korean accords”

[LEAD]
President Lee Jae Myung presided over his first Ulchi cabinet meeting since taking office. He ordered officials to begin implementing inter-Korean agreements step by step. While calling for a strong defense posture, he also stressed the courage to lower tensions, reaffirming his message from Liberation Day that true security comes from peace.

[REPORT]
The first Ulchi cabinet meeting convened since President Lee Jae Myung took office.

While urging steadfast defense posture, the president also stressed the need of having the courage to lower tensions at the same time.

Lee Jae Myung / President
Efficient security is defending peace. I said many times that a peaceful state where we don't need to fight is the most certain security.

He instructed related ministries to prepare for the gradual implementation of existing inter-Korean agreements, starting with feasible areas.

Lee Jae Myung / President
Amid shifting global dynamics, strengthening inter-Korean relations is crucial for safeguarding national interests and widening diplomatic reach.

The president appears to have reiterated the intent to restore the September 2018 inter-Korean military agreement which he earlier expressed in his Liberation Day speech.

President Lee Jae Myung also emphasized that the Ulchi Exercise is aimed at preparing for the worst case scenario but is purely defensive in nature.

Kang Yu-jung / Presidential spokesperson
It's a defensive drill aimed at protecting public lives and safety. There is no intent to attack North Korea or escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula.

He also called for comprehensive security capabilities noting the notion of national security itself has changed due to shifting global order and advances in artificial intelligence.

The presidential office said that though it won't be easy to restore cross-border trust in the short term, it will start by tackling areas that can be restored in a step by step manner.