ROK urges DPRK to return to dialogue

SEOUL - The defense ministry of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Thursday urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to return to the dialogue table to prevent accidental border clashes.

"To bridge the gap in perception and prevent accidental military clashes, North Korea (DPRK) must step forward to the dialogue table, and these actions must come to a halt," Defense Ministry spokesperson Chung Binna told a press briefing.

Chung emphasized that the current reliance on public statements between the two Koreas indicated that all official inter-Korean military hotlines were completely severed.

The call came as tensions flared over cross-border psychological warfare.

Kim Yo-jong, department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea of the DPRK, said in a statement Wednesday that her country will use loudspeakers for psychological warfare against the ROK along the border this month.

Kim accused Seoul of committing "provocative warning loudspeaker blaring and shots again in at least two spots" on Wednesday.