South Korea's Lee Jae-myung proposes peace treaty negotiations to formally end Korean War
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung used the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule to call for formal negotiations with Pyongyang to end the Korean War, which has remained technically active since the 1953 armistice.
Peace treaty proposal
On 15 August 2026, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung delivered a speech marking the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial occupation (1910-1945) and used the occasion to propose formal negotiations with Pyongyang. The Korean War, fought between 1950 and 1953, ended only with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, meaning the conflict has technically persisted for over 70 years. Lee called on both sides to begin discussions to replace the unstable armistice with what he described as a "regime of peace," engaging North Korea and all other directly involved parties.
The South Korean president urged both Koreas to set aside mutual threats and sit at the negotiating table.
Let us set aside our intentions to threaten each other and begin discussions to end this long war, as directly involved parties.
Nuclear dimension and policy shift
Lee indicated that the proposed dialogue could also address measures to limit North Korea's nuclear capabilities, a stance that contrasts with the harder line taken by his predecessor toward Kim Jong-un's regime. North Korea has repeatedly proclaimed its nuclear-armed status as "irreversible." Prior nuclear negotiations initiated by US President Donald Trump collapsed after the last summit with Kim Jong-un, held in 2019 in Hanoi. Lee promised that Seoul would take sustained steps to reduce tensions and build multiple layers of protection against potential military escalation.
- Korean Peninsula under Japanese colonial occupation
- Korean War ends with armistice, no peace treaty signed
- Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi fails, nuclear negotiations collapse
- President Lee Jae-myung proposes peace treaty dialogue with Pyongyang on 81st anniversary of liberation
Pyongyang's rejection and military tensions
North Korea has consistently rejected all of Lee Jae-myung's dialogue proposals. Kim Jong Un has abandoned the policy of reunification, designated South Korea as the most hostile state, and ordered the strengthening of border defenses. Pyongyang has also criticized South Korea's plans for nuclear-powered submarines and the joint military exercises conducted by Seoul and Washington, which it considers provocations.
This week, North Korea denounced the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, scheduled to begin in August, and threatened to elevate its deterrence measures to a "new level." Pyongyang considers the annual large-scale drills a preparation for invasion of its territory.
Broader regional context
Beyond the inter-Korean dimension, Lee addressed relations with Japan in his speech, stating that the two countries must confront problems of the past while keeping the perspective of the future open. He expressed hope for a new 60-year period of peace and prosperity alongside Japan, which he described as a "close neighbor."
North Korea has also become directly involved in Russia's military aggression in Ukraine through the deployment of troops in support of the Kremlin, as well as through deliveries of weapons and munitions. The Korean War was originally triggered by an attack from the North, supported by the USSR and China, and the 1953 armistice froze the conflict near the 38th parallel, where it has remained ever since.
