South Korea's Lee Calls for Peace Talks With North Korea

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called on Saturday for formal peace talks with North Korea to replace the decades-old armistice with a peace regime, urging both sides to set aside hostile intentions and begin dialogue. Speaking at a ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, Lee proposed that the two Koreas, as the directly involved parties, initiate discussions to end the long-running war that technically remains unresolved.

The 1950-53 Korean War concluded with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula in a state of perpetual conflict. Lee, who took office in June 2025, has pursued a more conciliatory approach toward Pyongyang than his predecessor, offering talks without preconditions. In his address at the Sejong Center in Seoul, he framed peaceful coexistence as a necessity. "Peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula is a duty, not a choice," Lee stated. He added that such a dialogue could also address North Korea's growing nuclear capabilities, potentially allowing for "effective ways to curb advances in the North's nuclear capabilities."

However, the proposal faces significant obstacles. North Korea...