"HOPES FOR BETTER INTER-KOREAN RELATIONSHIP"

Hope your workweek is off to a good start.

You're watching Press Perspective for this Monday July 28th here in Seoul.

I'm Min Sunhee.

The Unification Ministry here says South Korea remains committed to its push for peace on the peninsula.

For more I have Celio Fioretti with French daily La Croix.

Celio welcome.

I also have Professor Edward Kwon at the Northern Kentucky University who recently wrote an article for The National Interest on the new South Korean administration's hopes for better cross-border ties.

Professor Kwon it's a pleasure.

Celio, let's begin with a quick rundown of some of the actions taken by the Lee Jae Myung administration with regard to North Korea and the overall response.

Professor Kwon, you recently wrote a piece for American magazine The National Interest on the new South Korean administration's policy on North Korea.

First then, what is your assessment of the new South Korean administration's North Korea policy?

Celio, North Korea, meanwhile, continues its bellicose rhetoric with its leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong rejecting South Korea's efforts to resume cross-border engagement.

What did she say?

And Celio, Kim Jong-un himself recently calling on his soldiers to prepare for an actual war.

Do tell us more.

Professor Kwon, how do you explain North Korea's hardline stance?

Do you believe it's simply seeking leverage and not necessarily an escalation in tensions?

Celio, South Korea is reportedly exploring the option of tourism to engage North Korea.

What are the prospects of this option bearing fruit and leading to improved cross-border ties?

Professor Kwon, what conditions are likely to coax North Korea back to the dialogue table?

Most pundits believe getting Kim Jong-un to sit down for talks will be tough this time around given his military pact with Russia.

That being said, do you suppose a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine will lead to talks between Kim and Lee or Kim and Trump?

Celio, despite the commitment to denuclearization that South Korea and its global partners have shared with regard to North Korea's nuclear weapons, a growing number of pundits are casting doubt on this goal.

Do share with us these doubts.

Professor Kwon, speaking as a scholar, what are your thoughts?

Should the international community be looking for nuclear disarmament or nuclear control with regard to North Korea's nuclear weapons?

Professor Kwon, with regard to South Korea's broader pragmatic diplomatic, what feasible is this foreign policy keeping in mind the rivalry between the U.S. and China?

All right.