WASHINGTON – The United States is open to discussing a possible end-of-war declaration with North Korea as it seeks to engage with the reclusive state in dialogue over a number of other issues, a Pentagon spokesman said yesterday.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in earlier called on the US and South Korea to formally end the Korean War with North Korea.
“We continue to seek engagement with (North Korea) to address a variety of issues, and we are open to discussing the possibility of an end-of-war declaration,” Defence Department spokesman John Kirby said in a press briefing, Yonhap reported.
“The United States remains committed to achieving lasting peace on the Korean peninsula through dialogue and diplomacy with North Korea,” he added.
The 1950-1953 Korean War ended only with an armistice, technically leaving the divided Koreas at war to date.
Moon, in his address at the UN General Assembly in New York this week, insisted that declaring a formal end to the war will help move forward the North’s denuclearisation process.
“When the parties involved in the Korean War stand together and proclaim an end to the war, I believe we can make irreversible progress in denuclearisation and usher in an era of complete peace,” said Moon.
Kirby reiterated the US commitment to denuclearising the Korean peninsula but said it was a complex issue.
“As I said we’re open to a discussion about an end-of-war declaration, but we are also committed to diplomacy and dialogue with North Korea to achieve the denuclearisation,” said the spokesman when asked if the declaration of the war’s end can be a solution to the stalled denuclearisation process.
“We know that this is a complex issue and we’re committed to supporting the role of our diplomats in having that kind of dialogue going forward,” he added.
North Korea has stayed away from denuclearisation negotiations since early 2019.
It also remains unresponsive to US overtures made by the Joe Biden administration since its inauguration in January. – Bernama, September 23, 2021
