Deadlock in Peace Declaration... Japan Opposes, North Korea Demands 'UN Command Disbandment'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] An obstacle has appeared before the Moon Jae-in administration, which is making every effort to achieve a declaration of the end of the war. Japan has expressed its opposition in practice, calling it 'premature,' and North Korea is placing a burden on the government, which must persuade the United States, by demanding the 'dissolution of the UN Command.' Experts analyze that North Korea's remarks are a strategic move to pressure the United States and are not new.

According to Japan's Kyodo News on the 6th, at the trilateral meeting of senior representatives on North Korea's nuclear issue held in Washington DC on the 19th of last month, Takehiro Funakoshi, Director of the Asia and Oceania Bureau of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Japan's representative on the North Korea nuclear issue, expressed the view that a declaration of the end of the war was premature, citing North Korea's successive missile launches as the reason.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response to the explanation of the usefulness of the declaration of the end of the war by our North Korea nuclear representative, Noh Kyu-duk, Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Peace Negotiation Headquarters on the Korean Peninsula, Sung Kim did not clearly state a position for or against at this meeting. This was the first time that the temperature difference among South Korea, the United States, and Japan regarding the declaration of the end of the war was revealed at last month's meeting. Although Japan is not included as a subject of the declaration of the end of the war, since Japan values trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan on the North Korea nuclear issue, it cannot be ruled out that Japan's position may influence the United States.

Also, NK News, a U.S. media specializing in North Korea, recently reported that Kim Song, North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations, pointed out the illegality of the South Korean UN Command and demanded the dissolution of the UN Command at the 4th Committee of the UN General Assembly held on the 27th of last month. This is not the first time North Korea has demanded the dissolution of the UN Command. In 2018 and 2019, North Korea also referred to the UN Command as a 'ghost' and demanded its dissolution.

However, as the government is promoting the declaration of the end of the war, such remarks have raised concerns in Washington that the declaration might lend support to North Korea's demand for the 'dissolution of the UN Command.' The United States has already publicly stated that there are 'differences of opinion' regarding the declaration of the end of the war and has taken a passive stance. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that 'there will be no change in the armistice system, including the status of the UN Command, due to the declaration of the end of the war.'

Experts analyze that North Korea's mention of the 'dissolution of the UN Command' is a strategic remark aimed at pressuring the United States. Professor Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies explained, "Even if a declaration of the end of the war is made, the armistice agreement remains valid until a peace treaty is concluded, so North Korea's demand for the 'dissolution of the UN Command' should be seen as a form of pressure," adding, "The United States considers the declaration of the end of the war as a 'gift to North Korea,' so North Korea intends not to get caught up in it."

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