South Korean President Lee Jae Myung wants the country to hold talks with North Korea to ease the tensions that have persisted between the two sides for decades. He has called for dialogue aimed at peaceful coexistence and replacing the armistice with a permanent peace regime.
The war between the two countries ended in 1953 with an armistice, but they never signed a formal peace treaty. Since then, tensions have persisted, with both sides repeatedly accusing each other of provocations.
Lee said a multi-layered security mechanism was needed to help prevent armed clashes along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and called for discussions on practical measures to curb North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.
Speaking at a ceremony marking Korea’s Liberation Day, Lee said, “Let us abandon plans to intimidate each other and begin dialogue to bring an end to this long-running war.”
North Korea has continued to develop its nuclear weapons and missile capabilities, while Pyongyang has not formally responded to Lee’s latest proposal for dialogue.
