South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has called for talks with North Korea to formally end the Korean War and replace the decades-old armistice with a peace agreement.
Lee made the proposal on Saturday during a ceremony marking Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule.
“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 said.
The proposal comes amid renewed tensions over joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, which North Korea has repeatedly condemned as preparations for an invasion.
The Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice, but no formal peace treaty was signed, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war.
Lee said dialogue could also address North Korea’s nuclear programme, expressing hope that the two countries “will sit face-to-face for peaceful coexistence and mutual growth”.
North Korea has repeatedly rejected South Korea’s calls for improved relations and has continued to develop its military capabilities, including ballistic missile tests.
The South Korean president’s latest proposal is aimed at reducing military tensions and establishing a lasting peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
