South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for talks with North Korea aimed at formally ending the Korean War, which has remained technically unresolved since an armistice was signed in 1953.
Speaking at a ceremony marking Liberation Day, Lee urged both sides to abandon threats and begin discussions as directly involved parties. He also proposed a “multi-layered security system” designed to prevent military tensions and clashes along the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the heavily fortified border separating the two countries.
“Let us put down our intentions to threaten each other and begin discussions to end the long-running war as the directly involved parties,” Lee said.
The South Korean president said he hoped the two countries could eventually meet for talks focused on peaceful coexistence and economic development. He also offered discussions on practical measures to slow North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons.
North Korea declared itself a nuclear weapons state in 2022 and has repeatedly said it will not give up its nuclear arsenal. The country has continued testing ballistic missiles, including weapons believed capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Lee has previously argued that freezing North Korea’s nuclear production could be a realistic short-term objective, while South Korea continues to support eventual denuclearisation of the peninsula.
Tensions between the two Koreas have remained high despite the absence of a formal peace treaty. Military incidents have occurred along the DMZ over the decades, while both governments have accused each other of provocations.
Recent disputes have included North Korea sending balloons carrying rubbish into South Korea, while Seoul and its allies have maintained military exercises designed to deter Pyongyang.
Lee, who took office last year after former president Yoon Suk Yeol was removed following his controversial attempt to impose martial law, has sought to improve relations with North Korea and China.
