President Moon's Proposal for a 'Declaration of the End of the War'... Will North Korea Step into the Dialogue?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] President Moon Jae-in proposed a South-North-US and South-North-US-China declaration of the end of the war in his final keynote speech at the United Nations General Assembly. With about eight months left in his term, he made his last strategic move, but it is uncertain whether North Korea and the United States will respond positively.

On the 21st (local time), President Moon delivered a keynote speech at the 76th United Nations General Assembly held in New York, USA, stating, "This year marks the meaningful 30th anniversary of South and North Korea joining the UN simultaneously," and made the proposal accordingly.

Following last year, he again played the card of a declaration of the end of the war this year. Although the declaration of the end of the war is a political declaration without legal binding force, the government’s position is that it could serve as a starting point for denuclearization negotiations based on trust-building. President Moon also emphasized, "When the declaration of the end of the war is achieved, irreversible progress in denuclearization and complete peace can begin."

Recently, North Korea launched cruise missiles and ballistic missiles consecutively, engaging in military provocations, and President Moon made his own strategic move to bring North Korea to the dialogue table. South and North Korea specified the promotion of a declaration of the end of the war in the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, and along with the North Korea-US summits, also pursued a North Korea-US declaration of the end of the war, but after the Hanoi no-deal, all discussions were effectively suspended.

Accordingly, this is interpreted as an attempt to revive the flame of discussion by emphasizing the necessity of a declaration of the end of the war for two consecutive years.

However, it is uncertain whether this proposal can move North Korea and the United States. North Korea agreed to restore communication lines in July and resumed communication, but expressed dissatisfaction with the South Korea-US joint military exercises, unilaterally cut off contact, and has not responded to South Korea’s communications to date.

Recently, North Korea also fired cruise and ballistic missiles and criticized South Korea’s submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) launches.

The United States, having previously discussed the declaration of the end of the war as a "corresponding measure for denuclearization" in past North Korea-US talks, is also unlikely to easily participate in the declaration. President Joe Biden, who gave his first UN speech, did not make any significant remarks regarding President Moon’s proposal for the declaration of the end of the war.