Lee In-young: "Does the Declaration of the End of War Have to Contain Specific Content... It Should Be to Overcome the Deadlock"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Minister of Unification Lee In-young emphasized that the declaration of the end of the war is a ‘means’ to break the deadlock in dialogue, saying, "It is not necessary for the declaration to contain specific content to be considered a declaration of the end of the war," regarding the declaration of the end of the war being discussed between South Korea and the United States. In response to criticism that the government’s plan for the declaration of the end of the war has been disrupted due to the U.S. considering a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, he said, "Please do not link the Olympics and the declaration of the end of the war."

At a press briefing held on the morning of the 24th at the Inter-Korean Dialogue Headquarters in Jongno-gu, Minister Lee said, "The declaration of the end of the war is being considered as an effective measure to overcome the deadlock in dialogue and to promote denuclearization negotiations." He added, "I cannot provide specific details about the ongoing progress related to the declaration of the end of the war," and said, "What the wording of the declaration will be in the future is a matter to be discussed during the consultation process and is not a unilateral issue." According to diplomatic sources, the consultation on the draft wording of the declaration of the end of the war between South Korea and the U.S. is in its final stages, and coordination over the final wording is currently underway.

In response to a question about whether the government’s plan to conclude the declaration of the end of the war in connection with the Beijing Winter Olympics has been disrupted, he flatly denied it, saying, "The issue of the declaration of the end of the war is not being pursued with the Beijing Olympics in mind." Minister Lee emphasized that "the task of peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula is a long-term journey that is not easy for any single government to complete within its term," and stressed that the next government should also pursue peaceful unification. Regarding the recent remark by Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate, that "it is too late to aim for unification," he refrained from commenting, saying, "Since the election is imminent, it is cautious for someone in the government to evaluate each statement one by one."

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