While addressing the U.N. General Assembly, President Moon Jae-in of South Korea repeated a call for a formal end to the Korean War. He proposed the two Koreas make a declaration to this effect with the countries concerned. The 1950-1953 Korean war ended in a ceasefire instead of a peace treaty, and North Korea and the South are still technically at war. The North does not see eye to eye on this issue with the South. Vice Foreign Minister Ri Thae Song of North Korea says such an action does not guarantee the withdrawal of the "U.S. hostile policy" toward Pyongyang.
Reuters says the term of Moon Jae-in ends in 2022, and he hopes there will be progress on this issue before he relinquishes office. He expressed confidence that Pyongyang will realize dialogue with Washington is the only way out. North Korea has always objected to the joint military drills between the United States and South Korea. It describes them as preparation for the invasion, and America says these are regular exercises to keep the forces active.
The North could still be weighing options
President Moon Jae-in returned to South Korea after addressing the U.N. General Assembly, and he talked with reporters aboard his presidential jet. In his opinion, Pyongyang was probably weighing all available options given the changed scenario with a new President at the helm in America.
Moon Jae-in feels delays could lead to escalation of tension and complicate the situation. It might be disastrous because America could dissociate totally. During his tenure, he had attempted to patch up the rifts. The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in South Korea saw the participation of both the Koreas. Later, relations soured and led to the closure of the industrial setup in Kaesong.
South Korea financed it and employed workers from the North. In June 2020, North Korea destroyed the North-South liaison office in Kaesong. Reuters goes on to add that U.S. President Joe Biden also addressed the U.N. assembly. He explained that the United States wants diplomacy to deliver the results related to the nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
North Korea tested cruise missiles
Recently, North Korea conducted testing of new cruise missiles and reactivated its nuclear weapon program. Incidentally, both the Koreas test-fired ballistic missiles in an arms race. Reuters mentions that both sides appear to have developed sophisticated weapons. These do not help matters when the objective is to reduce tension in the peninsula. Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un held meetings on the subject. The first one was in Singapore, followed by one at Hanoi and then at the demilitarized zone at the border of the North. However, the leaders failed to arrive at a solution. While Trump insisted on denuclearization first, Kim's priority was the easing of sanctions.
South Korea urges action by the U.S., North Korea, and China
According to The Diplomat, President Moon Jae-in is Seoul's top peacemaker, and he wants the four major countries to tackle Korean Peninsula issues. These countries are the United States, both Koreas, and China. He said this at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly. It was at his initiative that the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea held their first-ever one-to-one meeting in 2018. The intention was the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. U.S. President Joe Biden also made a speech at the U.N. General Assembly. He spoke as a leader of the strongest country in the world. On the subject of North Korea, he said: "We seek serious and sustained diplomacy to pursue the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
