South Korea proposes talks with North to end Korean war

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has proposed talks with North Korea to formally end the Korean War, as the two nations remain technically at war due to the 1950-53 conflict ending in an armistice rather than a peace treaty. During a ceremony marking Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1910-45, Mr Lee emphasized the need to put down threats and engage in discussions to resolve the long-standing war, as well as to discuss ways to curb North Korea's nuclear advancements.

The proposal comes amid North Korea's recent denunciation of US-South Korean military drills and firing of two missiles in response to Japan's growing military presence in the Pacific. Since Mr Kim's summit with US President Donald Trump in April 2019, Pyongyang has consistently declared itself an irreversible nuclear state, a stance that South Korea's new President Lee has chosen to challenge without preconditions for dialogue.

Despite North Korea's refusal to respond to Lee's offers, the hermetic leadership has strengthened military ties with Russia, receiving financial aid, food, energy, and military technology in support of Russia's war in Ukraine. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is anticipated to visit Russia in the coming months, possibly to negotiate further weapons supplies to Moscow.

In contrast, the United States, South Korea's primary security ally, maintains approximately 28,500 troops in South Korea to counter potential threats from Pyongyang.