South Korean President Proposes Formal Peace Treaty Amid DMZ Border Skirmish
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung used a Liberation Day address to formally propose direct negotiations with North Korea to replace the 1953 Armistice with a permanent peace regime. The proposal includes a "multi-layered security system" to prevent accidental escalation. The offer follows a tense border incident where South Korean troops fired warning shots after North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the Military Demarcation Line. Pyongyang has so far maintained official silence regarding the initiative.