Announcing End of Korean War Big Step Toward Fixing Relationship, South Korean Minister Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The South Korean unification minister, Lee In-young, said on Wednesday that a statement announcing the end of the war between the two Koreas would be a big step toward rebuilding peace and stability in the region, Yonhap News Agency reported.

"Our government's stance has been made clear continuously that declaring an end to the war is the entrance to peace and could be a very meaningful step that serves as a catalyst for denuclearization," Lee said at a press conference at Seoul's Incheon International Airport prior to his departure for Germany, Belgium and Sweden.

Lee noted that the South would be happy to participate in talks with the North with the aim of reviewing the relationship between the two sides as well as denuclearization and cross-border issues.

"Making the end-of-war declaration could be a very useful and meaningful step that would help South and North Korea, North Korea and the U.S., and even other relevant countries to lay down their intentions for war and hostility to each other, form mutual trust, and encourage them to move toward peace and cooperation," Lee added.

The minister stressed the importance of both sides coming out for dialogue as soon as possible and added that a declaration of the end of the Korean War would not cause an immediate economic, military or political damage.

On 25 September, Pyongyang said that it was ready to declare the end of the war with Seoul, bring back the Inter-Korean Liaison Office and hold a leaders' summit provided that bilateral relations are marked by respect and fairness.

In 1953, both South and North Korea reached an Armistice Agreement that ended the three-year war. However, formally, the Korean Peninsula is still at war because it ended without a peace treaty.