South Korea’s president proposes formal end to Korean war talks with North
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung proposed talks with North Korea to formally end the long-running Korean war, as Pyongyang deepens ties with Russia while asserting its status as an “irreversible” nuclear state. The two Koreas remain technically at war because their 1950-53 conflict, triggered by a North Korean attack, ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. Lee made the proposal…
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has suggested formal peace talks with North Korea in order to formally conclude the ongoing Korean War. The two nations remain technically at war due to the armistice agreement that ended the 1950-53 conflict, rather than a peace treaty. In his speech marking Korea's liberation anniversary from Japan's colonial rule, Lee stated, "Let us put down our intentions to threaten each other and begin discussions to end the long-running war as the directly involved parties."
He added, "Through this, it may also be possible to discuss effective measures to halt the advancement of North Korea’s nuclear capabilities."
Lee's proposal arrives as North Korea has recently denounced upcoming US-South Korea military drills, warning of stronger deterrent measures. Additionally, Pyongyang has been irked by Japan's growing military presence in the Pacific, firing two missiles in response to Japan's pledge to enhance its defense capabilities. North Korea has consistently declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear state since the collapse of a 2019 summit between its leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump over denuclearisation and sanctions relief.
South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung has shifted away from his predecessor's hawkish stance, offering nuclear-armed Pyongyang talks without preconditions. In July, South Korea's unification minister even claimed that Seoul had abandoned its campaign prioritizing pressure on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear arsenal, focusing instead on halting the expansion of Pyongyang's nuclear activities.
North Korea, however, has not yet responded to Lee's repeated offers and has instead strengthened military ties with Russia, receiving financial support, food, energy and military technology. Kim Jong-un is expected to visit Russia later this year, potentially to negotiate further weapons supplies to Moscow. The United States, South Korea's key security ally, maintains around 28,500 troops in South Korea to counter military threats from Pyongyang.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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