75 years post-Korean War: Can trust be rebuilt under the new administration?

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon.

This week marks 75 years since the outbreak of the Korean War—an inflection point that holds deep resonance here on the Peninsula.

As President Lee Jae Myung begins his term, he's taking visible steps to reset the tone with North Korea: halting propaganda broadcasts and reemphasizing past military agreements.

But still, challenges remain.

Pyongyang has officially labeled the South as an enemy state and severed all remaining ties.

At the same time, the U.S. has just launched a precision strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, leading to a full ceasefire with Israel.

That sequence is already reshaping strategic assumptions worldwide.

So tonight, we ask: what room is there for trust and diplomacy now?

For more on this we're joined in the studio by Go Myong-hyun, Senior Research Fellow at Institute for National Security Strategy. Welcome.

Brian Myers, Professor of International Studies at Dongseo University

(GO) So this year marks the 75th anniversary of the Korean War.

President Lee Jae Myung has ramped up conciliatory signals toward the North, including halting loudspeaker broadcasts.

Do you think these series of conciliatory gestures become a turning point in inter-Korean relations?

(MYERS) Continuing from there, President Lee has consistently stressed restoring the September 19 military agreement since his candidacy.

Can we expect more concrete, forward-looking peace proposals from his administration? And what measures are necessary to truly improve inter-Korean ties?

(GO) However, it's worth noting that North Korea has unilaterally declared the South an "enemy state" and severed all communication.

In that context, what do you see as the most pressing challenge to peace on the Korean Peninsula right now?

(MYERS) Turning to Pyongyang's latest moves—at the three-day Workers' Party plenary session from June 21st to 23rd, there was speculation Kim Jong-un might send a message in response to U.S. and South Korean overtures.

But his speech was kept entirely under wraps. Why do you think the North chose secrecy this time?

(GO) Meanwhile, following a U.S. strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, Washington announced that Iran and Israel have agreed to a full ceasefire.

How is North Korea, which has consistently rejected President Trump's outreach, interpreting the rapid sequence from airstrike to ceasefire?

(MYERS) Despite swiftly condemning the U.S. strike, Pyongyang seemed to calibrate its language carefully.

What might be the strategy behind this measured response?

(GO) Given the precision of the U.S. strike on Iran's nuclear sites, there's rising speculation about whether Washington might consider similar action against the North.

While Iran and North Korea differ, could the U.S. potentially justify a preemptive strike on facilities like Yongbyon in the name of nuclear deterrence?

(MYERS) President Trump's strike signals a shift from diplomacy to force—a show of unpredictability.

What kind of posture do you think North Korea will adopt going forward in its dealings with the U.S.? Will they avoid or engage in talks?

(GO) Finally, looking at the broader picture—the flare-up between Israel and Iran and America's response—

What lessons or warnings does this hold for the security dynamics on the Korean Peninsula?