South Korean President wants to talk peace with North Korea

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has suggested talks with North Korea to officially end the long-standing Korean War.

He made this suggestion during a ceremony to mark the anniversary of Korea’s freedom from Japan’s colonial rule from 1910 to 1945, according to the BBC.

“Let us put down our intentions to threaten each other and begin discussions to end the long-running war as the directly involved parties,” he said.

This proposal comes shortly after North Korea announced that the military drills between the US and South Korea, set to start on Monday, are a provocation that raises tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The annual joint drill is often seen by Pyongyang as practice for an invasion.

The conflict between South and North Korea started after World War II in 1945 when Korea was divided into two separate countries. This division led to the Korean War in 1950.

The war lasted until 1953 when both sides agreed to an armistice. But there was never a formal peace treaty, so technically, the two Koreas remain at war.

Over the years, there have been fights along the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) and accusations of provocation from both sides.

The DMZ runs along the 38th parallel, separating the two countries.

Mr Myung-bak expressed hope that the two nations “will sit face-to-face for peaceful coexistence and mutual growth.”

“Through this, it may also be possible to discuss effective measures to halt the advancement of North Korea’s nuclear capabilities,” he added.

Mr Myung-bak had also called for talks after he took office from former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Under Mr Yeol, relations with North Korea and China worsened. PREMIUM TIMES noted that Mr Yeol was impeached for declaring martial law, which caused chaos in the country.

But North Korea has turned down Mr Myung-bak’s efforts to improve relations.

It has also criticized South Korea’s plan to build nuclear-powered submarines and the joint 11-day military exercises.

Last week, North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile over the Sea of Japan, showing its disapproval of the upcoming exercises.

This missile launch was the 11th suspected ballistic missile test by Pyongyang in 2026, according to assessments from South Korea.