Why Seoul has called for peace talks to formally end the Korean War

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has renewed calls for formal peace talks to definitively end the Korean War, a conflict technically still ongoing since the 1953 armistice agreement did not establish a formal peace treaty. This initiative reflects the current administration's more conciliatory approach toward North Korea, a departure from the hardline stance of his impeached predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol.

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Let us put down our intentions to threaten each other and begin discussions to end the long-running war as the directly involved parties.

"Let us put down our intentions to threaten each other and begin discussions to end the long-running war as the directly involved parties," President Lee stated during a speech marking Korea's Liberation Day. He suggested that such talks could also address measures to halt North Korea's nuclear capabilities. The center-left Lee government maintains a pro-engagement peace policy, with aspirations for eventual unification.

However, North Korea has increasingly abandoned its unification goals, with leader Kim Jong Un designating South Korea as its "most hostile state." In 2024, Pyongyang announced plans to permanently seal its border with the South and bolster its front-line defenses, citing "confrontational hysteria" from South Korean and U.S. forces. Experts believe this hostile posture allows Pyongyang to continue its nuclear weapons and missile development.

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The important thing here is that the nature of the inter-Korean relations remains hostile so that Pyongyang can continue to develop its nuclear weapons and missiles.

North Korea views its nuclear arsenal as essential for regime survival. Any engagement with South Korea poses security risks to the North's political system, potentially undermining its legitimacy and narratives of superiority. Despite these tensions, President Lee's olive branch signifies a persistent effort to de-escalate and pursue a formal end to the decades-long state of war.

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Any contact, exchange, or cooperation with South Korea poses serious security risks to the North Korean political system because such engagement undermines its legitimacy and its myths of superiority.