Editing North Korea–South Korea relations (section)

===2021===
In February–March 2021, South Korea continued to omit North Korea's "enemy" status from the South Korean military's White Paper after downgrading the status of Japan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/02/88ee18239cdf-s-korea-downgrades-japans-status-in-defense-white-paper.html|title=South Korea "downgrades" Japan's status in defense white paper|publisher=[[Kyodo News]]|language=en|date=2 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2021/02/02/south-korea-downgrades-japans-status-in-defense-white-paper.html|title=South Korea "downgrades" Japan's status in defense white paper|newspaper=[[The Jakarta Post]]|date=2 February 2021}}</ref>

In a statement made on 4 October 2021, South Korea's [[Ministry of Unification|Unification Ministry]] announced that communication lines between North and South Korea have been restored. The reopening followed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's vow to restart communication with South Korea. The two countries' militaries have also restored their hotline along the east and west coasts, according to the South Korean Defense Ministry.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Jake Kwon and Maija Ehlinger|title=North Korea reopens communication and military hotline with South|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/03/asia/north-korea-south-korea-intl/index.html|access-date=7 October 2021|website=[[CNN]]|date=3 October 2021 }}</ref>