Lee In-young: "The Declaration of the End of War Will Weaken Acts and Justifications for Tensions on the Korean Peninsula"

Minister of Unification Lee In-young is attending the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee's audit on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Unification held at the National Assembly on the 21st, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Lee In-young, Minister of Unification, emphasized that the declaration of the end of the war can weaken acts and justifications for tension on the Korean Peninsula and create momentum for dialogue based on trust and mutual respect, calling it "a historic milestone."

In a video congratulatory message at an academic conference held by the Korea Institute for National Unification on the theme of 'The Meaning and Realization Plan of the Declaration of the End of the War' on the 4th, Minister Lee stated, "(The declaration of the end of the war) is a kind of political declaration distinct from a peace treaty, but nonetheless holds very practical significance."

Minister Lee said, "The declaration of the end of the war is the starting point for the journey toward peace on the Korean Peninsula and a very useful measure to promote stalled denuclearization negotiations," adding, "It can be a wise approach for South Korea, North Korea, and the United States to put down hostility and confrontation toward each other and build trust without large costs or sudden changes in the security structure."

He continued, "More fundamentally, looking back at human history, it is difficult to find a precedent for a war that has remained in a ceasefire state for 68 years," adding, "This itself is an abnormal situation and only a tremendous, tragic reality that our nation has endured."

Minister Lee emphasized, "The declaration that the war on the Korean Peninsula has completely ended, beyond just being stopped (the declaration of the end of the war), will be an important turning point in history," and "It will be a historic milestone and turning point that normalizes the abnormal and transforms the tragic narrative of our nation into a narrative of hope."

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