South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday called on North Korea to open negotiations aimed at replacing the Korean War armistice with a lasting peace treaty, urging both sides to abandon mutual threats and pursue peaceful coexistence.
In his Independence Day address, Lee proposed building layered safeguards to prevent conflict and said Seoul would take pre-emptive steps to ease tensions on the peninsula. He repeated his offer of direct talks to formally end the 1950–53 war, which concluded only with a ceasefire. Discussions could also explore measures to curb Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities.
The overture comes against a hostile backdrop: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has abandoned Pyongyang's reunification policy and labelled the South its most hostile state, while rebuffing Lee's engagement offers. On relations with Japan, Lee expressed hope for a new era of peace and cooperation, while stressing that Tokyo must confront its history honestly to build lasting trust.