South Korea's president proposes talks to formally end the Korean War
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 and asserts its status as an 'irreversible' nuclear state. He made the proposal at a ceremony marking liberation from Japanese rule.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for talks aimed at formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War. The two Koreas remain technically at war because that earlier conflict ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
Lee made the proposal in a speech at a ceremony marking the anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese rule between 1910 and 1945. The offer comes as North Korea deepens its ties with Russia and continues to assert its status as an 'irreversible' nuclear-armed state.
Analysts say the move signals Seoul's intent to ease regional tensions and draw Pyongyang back toward diplomacy. North Korea's insistence on retaining its nuclear program, however, remains one of the biggest obstacles to any formal peace process moving forward.
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