South Korea’s Lee Calls for Talks With North Korea to Replace Armistice With Peace

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for renewed dialogue with North Korea, saying the two sides should pursue peaceful coexistence and work toward replacing the decades-old Korean War armistice with a lasting peace regime.

Lee made the appeal on Saturday, August 15, during a speech marking the 81st anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule. He said mechanisms were needed to prevent military tensions from escalating into conflict and urged the two Koreas to begin discussions on coexistence.

Push to Move Beyond the 1953 Armistice

The 1950–53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty, meaning the two Koreas technically remain at war. Lee said Seoul should pursue a peace regime that could provide a more durable framework for stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Nuclear Issue Would Be Part of Dialogue

Lee indicated that talks should also address North Korea’s expanding nuclear capabilities. His approach seeks to combine measures aimed at reducing immediate tensions with longer-term negotiations over security and denuclearisation-related concerns.

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