On May 26, 2024, North Korea’s Ministry of Defence accused the U.S. and South Korea of intensifying reconnaissance activities near the inter-Korean border. North Korea asserted that aerial espionage conducted by the U.S. and South Korea around the Korean Peninsula violates its national sovereignty and security. Additionally, Pyongyang has designated Seoul as its principal enemy and begun dismantling government agencies originally intended to foster reunification. In light of these accusations and other recent events, inter-Korean relations have reached one of their lowest points in years.

North Korea’s Vice-Minister of National Defence, Kim Kang Il, detailed actions by the U.S. and South Korea that he claimed infringe on North Korea’s sovereignty. From May 13 to May 24, 2024, the U.S. deployed at least 16 RC-135 and U-2S strategic reconnaissance planes and RQ-4B drones over the Korean Peninsula. South Korea’s navy and coast guard also intensified patrols, frequently breaching North Korea’s maritime border. Meanwhile, defectors and activists in South Korea have sent balloons carrying propaganda leaflets, medicine, money, and other items across the border. Kim warned, “Dangerous consequences will ensue from such frequent intrusions across our maritime border” and pledged, “We will act immediately when the nation’s sovereignty and security interests are violated.”

Though North Korea has been vocal about its grievances with South Korea, both nations have contributed to rising inter-Korean tensions. This week, North Korea released at least 260 balloons carrying trash into South Korea, forcing residents near the border to stay indoors as waste accumulated around their homes. Both countries have used balloons in their propaganda efforts since the Korean War in the 1950s, illustrating the ongoing, provocative exchanges that affect civilians on both sides and signal the need for non-combative solutions.

In recent months, North Korea has conducted a series of military activities, including launching a military satellite, conducting ballistic missile tests, firing artillery near the Northern Limit Line, testing an underwater nuclear drone, and rejecting the possibility of unification with South Korea. In response, South Korea has reaffirmed its alliance with the U.S., conducting joint military drills to address perceived threats from North Korea’s nuclear capabilities. However, Pyongyang interprets these exercises as preparation for an invasion, highlighting the contrasting views each country holds. Notably, in a January 15, 2024, speech to the Supreme People’s Assembly, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for constitutional changes to officially designate South Korea as the country’s principal enemy. North Korea attributed this stance to South Korea’s alliance with foreign powers and hostile posture toward Pyongyang.

Despite recent hostilities, there have been historical moments of cooperation between the two Koreas. The Inter-Korean Summit of 2018—the first since 2007—marked a significant, albeit temporary, improvement in relations. On April 27, 2018, Kim Jong Un became the first North Korean leader to set foot on South Korean soil, joining then-President Moon Jae-in in a commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula through the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity, and Unification. Although North Korea suspended this declaration on November 23, 2023, current South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s proposal in August 2022 offers a glimpse into what a peaceful solution could look like. President Yoon proposed practical denuclearization of North Korea in exchange for South Korean assistance with food programs, energy infrastructure, agriculture, and modernization of ports and airports to support international trade. These economic and support initiatives, aimed at enhancing security, offer a foundation for mutual benefit and improved relations.

Examining both recent and past interactions between the two Koreas highlights effective approaches to conflict resolution. To curtail cycles of violence and confrontation, a peace-first strategy must prevail over provocations. Past successes, such as the Panmunjom Declaration, demonstrate that cooperative and mutually beneficial discussions create a conducive environment for stability and security on the peninsula. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s 2022 proposal exemplifies the potential of symbiotic economic initiatives to reduce inter-Korean tensions and foster lasting peace.