The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    BLACKPINK Jennie's 'Solo' music video hits record high 900 mil. YouTube views

  • 3

    Japanese students' field trips to Korea resume after pandemic hiatus

  • 5

    Lotte desperate to win LVMH Chairman Arnault's heart

  • 7

    President Yoon refutes criticism of fence-mending summit with Japan

  • 9

    Apple Pay service starts in Korea

  • 11

    US report voices concerns over S. Korea's press freedom

  • 13

    Revenge rises as key theme in K-dramas

  • 15

    Korean firms balk at donating to fund compensating victims of Japan's forced labor

  • 17

    Osstem Implant to invite 1,500 dentists from 22 countries for training

  • 19

    Korean startup Innospace announces successful test launch of space vehicle HANBIT-TLV

  • 2

    Lee Se-young to lead MBC's new series 'The Story of Park's Marriage Contract'

  • 4

    Possibly next SOHO, Seoul selects 5 neighborhoods for new signature 'K-alleys'

  • 6

    Kakao criticized for half-baked AI chatbot

  • 8

    INTERVIEW'The Flag': Kwon Jin-ah's love letter to people chasing their dreams

  • 10

    Kwon Sang-woo's new series to stream on Disney+ this year

  • 12

    LVMH allegedly joins takeover bid to acquire Missha

  • 14

    Busan to have alternate no-driving days during Expo inspection

  • 16

    Shinhan, Woori shine in overseas business

  • 18

    Sexual assaults by Korean diplomats continue despite zero-tolerance policy

  • 20

    VIDEOMiracle rescue of 200 dogs caged for dog meat

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Yun Byung-se
  • Kim Won-soo
  • Ahn Ho-young
  • Kim Sang-woo
  • Lee Kyung-hwa
  • Mitch Shin
  • Peter S. Kim
  • Daniel Shin
  • Jeon Su-mi
  • Jang Daul
  • Song Kyung-jin
  • Park Jung-won
  • Cho Hee-kyoung
  • Park Chong-hoon
  • Kim Sung-woo
  • Donald Kirk
  • John Burton
  • Robert D. Atkinson
  • Mark Peterson
  • Eugene Lee
  • Rushan Ziatdinov
  • Lee Jong-eun
  • Chyung Eun-ju and Joel Cho
  • Bernhard J. Seliger
  • Imran Khalid
  • Troy Stangarone
  • Jason Lim
  • Casey Lartigue, Jr.
  • Bernard Rowan
  • Steven L. Shields
  • Deauwand Myers
  • John J. Metzler
  • Andrew Hammond
  • Sandip Kumar Mishra
Thu, March 23, 2023 | 11:42
Yang Moo-jin
Three meanings of the end-of-war declaration
Posted : 2021-10-11 16:26
Updated : 2021-10-11 16:26
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
In his speech at the U.N. General Assembly this year, President Moon Jae-in emphasized that the declaration of an end to the Korean War is an important starting point for making a new order of "reconciliation and cooperation" on the Korean Peninsula, and urged the international community to join forces in supporting an end-of-war declaration.


By Yang Moo-jin

In his speech at the U.N. General Assembly this year, President Moon Jae-in emphasized that the declaration of an end to the Korean War is an important starting point for making a new order of "reconciliation and cooperation" on the Korean Peninsula, and urged the international community to join forces in supporting an end-of-war declaration.

Immediately after President Moon's remarks, North Korean vice foreign minister Ri Thae-song said on Sept. 24 that an end-of-war declaration would be "premature," but on the same day, Kim Yo-jong, who holds the title of the vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party, acknowledged the necessity and significance of the declaration, saying that it was an "admirable idea."

On Sept. 22, the U.S. State Department said that the U.S. is ready to meet with North Korea without preconditions, and urged North Korea to respond positively. China also expressed its support for an early end to the state of war on the Korean Peninsula and expressed its position that it would fulfill its due role as a party in the Armistice Agreement.

At this point, I would like to examine what meaning the pursuit of an end-of-war declaration has as a political declaration to end the state of war on the Korean Peninsula.

First, the end-of-war declaration is a very meaningful measure as a gateway to peace for the two Koreas, and as a catalyst for negotiations on denuclearization. Concluding a peace treaty in order to establish a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula has been planned since the time of the Armistice Agreement, and was agreed upon by the leaders of the two Koreas in the Panmunjeom Declaration in 2018. The end-of-war declaration, a political declaration in the process of going toward a peace treaty, can serve as an important momentum for dialogue.

In addition, the end-of-war declaration could provide political momentum as a facilitator for denuclearization. North Korea has demanded the removal of military threats and security guarantees as conditions for denuclearization. The end-of-war declaration can serve as an initial measure to these demands. Some people express concerns that North Korea might not implement denuclearization measures after the declaration, but the series of processes involving the end-of-war declaration and the peace treaty, as well as the establishment of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and North Korea, cannot be separated from the denuclearization process, and a virtuous circle of denuclearization and the establishment of peace can be created with an end-of-war declaration.

Second, the declaration to end the Korean War is a useful step in that it makes it possible to promote mutual trust without more economic costs or a radical shift in military affairs immediately. The DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesperson's statement (July 2018) put considerable emphasis on how important that declaration was: "As for the issue of announcing an end-of-war declaration at an early date, it is the first process of diffusing tension and establishing a lasting peace regime on the Korean Peninsula, and at the same time, it constitutes the first factor in creating trust between the DPRK and the U.S." At that time, North Korea appeared less interested in the ongoing stalemate. As North Korea appreciates the value of the end-of-war declaration as a confidence-building measure, we might finally be able to find common ground through the next dialogue.

Some say that the end-of-war declaration would weaken the South Korea-U.S. alliance and lead to calls for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Korea. As mentioned earlier, the end-of-war declaration won't cause an immediately radical shift in military affairs. Further, the armistice agreement will be kept until the peace treaty will be signed. Regardless, an end-of-war declaration saying that U.S. forces remain in Korea is a matter that the South Korea-U.S. alliance must decide as part of the consistent position of our government.

Third, the end-of-war declaration will keep North Korea from being able to justify nuclear development and the creation of military tensions. The Permanent Representative of the DPRK to the United Nations said in the U.N. General Assembly (Sept. 27) that "DPRK-U.S. relations are not merely the relations between unfriendly countries without diplomatic relations but between belligerent countries that are legally in a state of war." He argued that "it is because our state is growing (a) reliable deterrent that can control the hostile forces in their attempts for military invasion." Once the Korean War is officially declared over, the notion of there being "belligerent countries" becomes meaningless. Therefore, the end-of-war declaration could weaken the justification and basis for further conflict or advancement of North Korea's nuclear capacity, contributing to the maintenance of the stability on the Korean Peninsula.

In terms of peace on the Korean Peninsula and improvement of inter-Korean relations, consistent efforts irrelevant to the interests of any political group are needed. The government should continue with pursuing the end-of-war declaration until the end of its term. Besides the restoration of the inter-Korean communication lines, I hope that North Korea takes one step further and responds to the discussion on the end-of-war declaration with a future-oriented perspective.


Yang Moo-jin (yangmj@kyungnam.ac.kr) is a professor at the University of North Korean Studies and the vice chair of the Korean Association of North Korean Studies. He is also a standing committee member of the National Unification Advisory Council and a policy consultant at the Ministry of Unification.


 
LG Group
Top 10 Stories
1Korean firms balk at donating to fund compensating victims of Japan's forced laborKorean firms balk at donating to fund compensating victims of Japan's forced labor
2Sexual assaults by Korean diplomats continue despite zero-tolerance policy Sexual assaults by Korean diplomats continue despite zero-tolerance policy
3Consumers choose to travel abroad over purchasing luxury goods Consumers choose to travel abroad over purchasing luxury goods
4Main opposition leader indicted, faces calls to resign Main opposition leader indicted, faces calls to resign
5World water day World water day
6Outback Steakhouse sees sales soar as it opens stores in large shopping malls Outback Steakhouse sees sales soar as it opens stores in large shopping malls
7Samsung, SK avoid worst-case scenario as US 'guardrails' are less stringent than feared Samsung, SK avoid worst-case scenario as US 'guardrails' are less stringent than feared
8Korean pension fund hit by overseas banking crisis Korean pension fund hit by overseas banking crisis
9[INTERVIEW] Retired FSC chief finds inspiration exploring Koreans' ancestral roots INTERVIEWRetired FSC chief finds inspiration exploring Koreans' ancestral roots
10Campaign launched to promote equal treatment for multicultural families Campaign launched to promote equal treatment for multicultural families
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Lee Se-young to lead MBC's new series 'The Story of Park's Marriage Contract' Lee Se-young to lead MBC's new series 'The Story of Park's Marriage Contract'
2[INTERVIEW] 'The Flag': Kwon Jin-ah's love letter to people chasing their dreams INTERVIEW'The Flag': Kwon Jin-ah's love letter to people chasing their dreams
3Kwon Sang-woo's new series to stream on Disney+ this year Kwon Sang-woo's new series to stream on Disney+ this year
4Revenge rises as key theme in K-dramas Revenge rises as key theme in K-dramas
5From sky to deserted islands, two artists' documentation of nature adds surreal touch to reality From sky to deserted islands, two artists' documentation of nature adds surreal touch to reality
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group