Pompeo: "If North Korea Denuclearization Negotiations Proceed, It Will Lead to a Declaration of the End of the War"

Response to Questions Regarding President Moon's Declaration of the End of the War

Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, is holding a press briefing at the State Department building in Washington, DC, on the 21st (local time). Secretary Pompeo stated at this event that the declaration of the end of the Korean War is included in the process of North Korea's denuclearization.

Regarding the Korean Peninsula end-of-war declaration, which President Moon Jae-in has shown strong willingness to pursue, the United States reaffirmed its position that denuclearization negotiations and the end-of-war declaration are closely linked.

On the 21st (local time), U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a press conference held at the State Department, in response to a question asking whether the end-of-war declaration recently re-pursued by President Moon is possible without North Korea giving up its nuclear weapons, "We hope that the U.S. and North Korea can return to the negotiating table and seriously begin related discussions," adding, "This will ultimately lead to what President Moon mentioned."

Secretary Pompeo further emphasized, "The U.S. position, including documents that would change the status of North and South Korea related to North Korea’s denuclearization and a brighter future for the North Korean people, has not changed at all." While agreeing in principle that the end-of-war declaration guarantees the safety of North Korean residents and peace on the Korean Peninsula, this is interpreted to mean that progress in denuclearization negotiations with North Korea must accompany it.

The South Korean government has been promoting discussions on a trilateral (South-North-U.S.) or quadrilateral (South-North-U.S.-China) end-of-war declaration since the inter-Korean summit at Panmunjom in April 2018. However, momentum was lost and the process drifted for a long time after the second North Korea-U.S. summit in Hanoi in February 2019 ended with 'no deal.' Then, last month, President Moon fired the starting signal for re-pursuing the end-of-war declaration during his speech at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, stating, "War on the Korean Peninsula must be completely and permanently ended. I believe the beginning is the Korean Peninsula end-of-war declaration." Around that time, the diplomatic and security lines moved swiftly. First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-geun visited the U.S. on the 9th of last month, and Lee Do-hoon, Director-General for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited the U.S. on the 27th of last month.

National Security Office Director Suh Hoon also visited the U.S. last week, holding a series of meetings with White House National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, Secretary Pompeo, and others to coordinate on Korean Peninsula issues. Speaking to reporters on site, Director Suh said, "It is common sense that the end-of-war declaration cannot stand alone (separately) from the North Korean denuclearization process."

Since President Moon’s mention of the end-of-war declaration, North Korea has not responded for over a month. Domestically, it is focusing all efforts on public health and economic recovery from flood damage, while externally showing a cautious stance by refraining from criticism. Instead, it appears to be strengthening its traditional friendly relations with China.

North Korea’s state-run media, the Korean Central News Agency, reported on the 22nd that North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un paid respects at the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army Martyrs’ Cemetery on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of China’s participation in the Korean War. On the 19th, Chairman Kim also sent a reply message to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory message on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party, stating, "We will actively strive to further solidify and develop the traditional Korea-China friendship, which has entered a new phase of vitality, in accordance with the demands of the times."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.