Lee In-young: "If the Declaration of the End of the War is Achieved, It Will Be a Turning Point for Peace"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Minister of Unification Lee In-young stated on the 9th, "Now is the right time to engage in dialogue with North Korea," adding, "If a declaration of the end of the war is achieved, it could become a definite turning point that opens a new phase of peace."

Minister Lee made these remarks in a congratulatory speech at the 30th anniversary international academic conference of the Korea Institute for National Unification held at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul on the same day. He said, "North Korea seems to be showing a relatively more open attitude toward dialogue than before."

Based on the restoration of the inter-Korean communication liaison line and other factors, Minister Lee assessed that "the uncertainty of this year's situation has weakened compared to last year," and urged, "If this critical crossroads at the end of this year and early next year is wasted meaninglessly, the will and momentum for dialogue could easily weaken, so we ask the North to respond promptly with a forward-looking attitude."

Minister Lee emphasized, "This is a time when wisdom and effort are needed to connect the recent flow of the Korean Peninsula situation to a firm momentum for peace," and said, "At the end of this year and the beginning of next year, we all need to work harder so that this moment can be recorded as a historical turning point when the Korean Peninsula re-enters the ‘cycle of peace.’"