South Korea's presidential Blue House expressed strong regret Tuesday over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s demolition of the inter-Korean joint liaison office in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong by explosion.
Kim You-geun, first deputy director of the Blue House National Security Office (NSO), told a press briefing that the South Korean government expresses strong regret over the DPRK side's unilateral explosion of the inter-Korean joint liaison office building that was opened according to the Panmunjom Declaration.
Kim said the demolition was an act of letting down the expectations of all who wish for the development of inter-Korean relations and the settlement of peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The comment came after South Korea's Unification Ministry said in a statement that the DPRK blew up the Kaesong joint liaison office at 2:49 p.m. local time (0549 GMT).
Chung Eui-yong, top national security advisor for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, convened a National Security Council (NSC) standing committee meeting to discuss countermeasures toward the DPRK's action.
The liaison office was opened in September 2018 for the round-the-clock communications between the two Koreas in accordance with the Panmunjom Declaration.
The declaration was signed by South Korean President Moon and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un after their first summit on April 27, 2018 at the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom.
