Seoul: The unification ministry announced plans to pursue a "peace declaration" intended to express political commitment to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War and transition the current armistice into a peace regime.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ministry presented this initiative in a report to the National Assembly, aligning with President Lee Jae Myung's commitment to transforming the armistice into a peace regime to reduce inter-Korean tensions. During his address on the 107th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement, President Lee emphasized the need for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The report to the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and unification stated that the government will work towards a "peace declaration" reflecting the political will to conclude the Korean War and initiate discussions for establishing a peace regime, potentially including the signing of a peace treaty. The Korean War concluded with an armistice, leaving the two Koreas technically at war.
The ministry elaborated that the peace declaration would be a multilateral political commitment involving South Korea and the Armistice Agreement signatories -- the United States, North Korea, and China -- to express a collective will to end the war. This effort mirrors a similar initiative pursued during the 2017-22 administration of former President Moon Jae-in, who viewed an end-of-war declaration as a catalyst for North Korea's denuclearization and lasting peace on the peninsula. However, Moon's efforts stalled after the 2019 Hanoi summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump ended without agreement.
Additionally, the unification ministry indicated that North Korea might undertake follow-up actions related to last month's key party congress amid annual combined military exercises between Seoul and Washington, along with the launch of the North's 15th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA). The government anticipates North Korea might issue statements condemning the South and engage in military maneuvers during the Freedom Shield exercise set for March 9-19. The North's leader, Kim Jong-un, is expected to be reelected as chairman of the State Affairs Commission in a parliamentary session following the SPA's launch.