South Korea has proposed talks with North Korea to avoid border clashes, the first such offer in seven years as Seoul seeks to ease military tensions with its nuclear-armed neighbour.

Citing recent incursions by North Korean troops, Kim Hong-cheol, deputy minister for national defence policy, told a news briefing on Monday that military-to-military channels can help avert an escalation.

“To prevent accidental clashes and ease military tensions, our military officially proposes that the two sides hold inter-Korean military talks to discuss the establishment of a clear reference line for the MDL,” he said, referring to the military demarcation line on their border.

Seoul and Pyongyang technically remain at war because the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement, which halted the conflict between

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