South Korea proposes talks to officially end war with North

South Korea's president, Lee Jae Myung, has proposed formal talks with North Korea to officially conclude the ongoing conflict between the two nations, which remains technically active. The South Korean leader suggested implementing a multi-layered security system to prevent incidents along the de facto border, the demilitarized zone (DMZ), and expressed willingness to discuss methods to curb Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

North Korea has consistently tested ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, actions perceived in Seoul and neighboring Japan as attempts to intimidate and assert power. Since the armistice signed in 1953, the conflict between the two Korean occupants has been frozen, though clashes and tensions have persisted along the DMZ, along with accusations of provocations such as dropping balloons with waste and propaganda material.

President Lee, who assumed office last year following impeachment of his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, has sought to improve relations with North Korea and its ally China, which had strained under Yoon's leadership. Speaking at a ceremony marking Liberation Day, Lee called for discussions to end the long-standing war, hoping for face-to-face negotiations for peaceful coexistence and mutual growth.

North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2022 and vowed never to abandon its weapons, estimated to number dozens. Lee previously cited Pyongyang's production of 15-20 additional warheads annually, stating he would support a deal with US President Donald Trump to freeze North Korea's production. He termed this a "realistic" goal, while South Korea continued to advocate for complete denuclearization.

Trump, during his first term, was the only Western leader to have met Kim Jong Un, though he has since shifted focus to other regions. After Trump's return to the White House, he expressed hope for another meeting with Kim, should the circumstances be appropriate. North Korea has yet to respond to Lee's proposal. The authoritarian regime's state news agency reported Kim marking its own Liberation Day commemorations with a wreath-laying and guard of honor.

Pyongyang has previously dismissed Lee's offers of engagement, criticizing a deal for the US to provide South Korea with a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines and denouncing joint military drills between the two allies. In a display of ongoing saber-rattling, North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the sea on Tuesday, the 11th suspected test this year, days before a scheduled US-South Korean joint military exercise.