The US is conducting a “serious review” of a proposal from South Korean President Moon Jae-in that would declare an end to the Korean War, Seoul’s foreign minister said on Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong said Moon’s peace proposal would replace the 1953 Armistice and officially end the war. While Chung said the US was reviewing the proposal, he also said he believes the Biden administration might want to make progress towards “denuclearization” before signing it.
The Biden administration says it is conducting a review of its North Korea policy but has also been calling for a denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. But such a demand is likely a non-starter for talks with Pyongyang. North Korea has no incentive to give up its nuclear weapons program before the US lifts any sanctions.
Last month, the White House said President Biden has no plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as President Trump did. As a candidate, Biden slammed Trump for meeting with Kim, who Biden called a “thug” during the last presidential debate.
In an interview with The New York Times that was published on Wednesday, President Moon called on President Biden to kick-start talks with Pyongyang and said the new administration could build on the previous one’s progress. “I believe that if we build on what President Trump has left, we will see this effort come to fruition under Biden’s leadership,” he said.
It is a sad fact that the US stands between the Koreans.
Both leaders of the Koreas seem to desire peace.
Your term is coming to a close, President Moon. Shoot for the stars and proclaim the end to the war before it’s too late. Don’t mind the Washington fallout.
I imagine that if it looked like Korean unification might occur, them China would push Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, as it would not want another large, potentially unfriendly northern neighbour with nukes.