South Korean President Moon Calls for Peace as North Korea Blows Up Joint Liaison Building

On the 20th anniversary of the South-North Joint Declaration, South Korea President Moon’s call “for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula” was met with the destruction of the North-South joint liaison office.

The liaison building, which was built “to facilitate candid discussion” between North and South Korea has now been “completely destroyed with a powerful explosion”, according to North Korean news agency KCNA.

Sister of North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un, Kim Yo-jong, released a statement in which she blamed South Korea as “responsible” for failing relations, justifying that South Korea’s decisions “to buy high-tech weapons” is evidence of “a violent violation of the North-South agreement” among other violations.

President Moon says he “will not abandon efforts to maintain communication”, and asks for North Korea “not to close the window on talks”.