South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday proposed formal peace talks with North Korea to end the Korean War and halt Pyongyang’s advancing nuclear capabilities, marking his most direct diplomatic overture to the regime since taking office.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the 81st Liberation Day at the Sejong Center in Seoul, Lee called on both sides to set aside mutual threats and begin discussions to replace the fragile armistice that has kept the peninsula in a state of suspended conflict for over seven decades.
“Let us put down our intentions to threaten each other and begin discussions to end the long-running war as the directly involved parties,” Lee said. “In the process, we may also discuss effective ways to halt the advancement of the North’s nuclear capabilities.”
Decades-Old Conflict Without Resolution
The two Koreas have technically remained at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty. That agreement, signed by the United States, China, and North Korea, left the peninsula divided along the Demilitarized Zone with no permanent peace framework in place. Lee pledged to embark on a journey to replace what he called the “unstable armistice system” with a lasting peace regime.
The proposal came despite Pyongyang’s consistent refusal to engage with Seoul since Lee took office in June last year. In his first Liberation Day address in 2025, Lee had pledged to respect North Korea’s current system and not pursue unification by absorption. Despite those conciliatory gestures, the North has remained unresponsive to repeated outreach.
Dialogue Amid Escalating Tensions
Lee’s overture comes at a moment of heightened military tension on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea fired its second missile in less than a week on Thursday and issued a statement through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday warning of “a new level of a deterrent” in response to the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States, scheduled to begin August 17.
The annual exercise will involve approximately 18,000 South Korean troops alongside U.S. forces and will focus on countering North Korea’s evolving capabilities, including drones, GPS disruption, and cyberattacks. Pyongyang has long denounced such drills as rehearsals for invasion.
Despite the provocations, Lee reiterated his commitment to what he called a “multilayered security system” aimed at controlling tensions and preventing crisis. “By inducing a positive response from the North, I will create a stable Korean Peninsula,” he said, adding that peace on the peninsula could help promote stability and cooperation across Northeast Asia.
Japan Relations and Technology Vision
Lee also highlighted the strengthening of South Korea-Japan relations over the past year through active shuttle diplomacy, which he said had bolstered trust and expanded cooperation in supply chains, energy, and advanced technologies. He expressed hope for opening “a new era of peace and prosperity” with Tokyo.
The president additionally outlined his vision of creating “an irreplaceable South Korea” that leads the world in advanced technologies, pledging government support for young people and promising to investigate assets accumulated through collaboration during Japan’s colonial rule.
The Liberation Day ceremony was attended by approximately 3,000 people, including veterans, families of independence fighters, government officials, foreign ambassadors, and citizens.
Sources: Korea Times; AP News; NK News; Channel NewsAsia
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