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Support an End of War Declaration in Korea
The first step towards a more stable and secure Korean Peninsula is to declare the war to be over.
The South Korean government is still actively pursuing an end of war declaration for the Korean War:
South Korea’s president Moon Jae-in is pressing ahead with his quest to declare an end to the Korean war despite months of fruitless diplomacy that have exposed divisions between Seoul and Washington.
Moon would like to have something to show for his engagement policy with North Korea before he leaves office later this year, and a declaration that the war is over would at least provide a symbolicwin for the president. Declaring an end to the war would not resolve other outstanding issues, but it would demonstrate that the South Korean government is still committed to improving inter-Korean relations. It could serve as the foundation for a more constructive relationship. The U.S. has good reasons to support this move, which could, if handled correctly, lead to negotiations for a formal peace treaty and normalization of relations. President Moon is on the right track. The first step towards a more stable and secure Korean Peninsula is to declare the war to be over.
His likely successor agrees with this course of action. The ruling Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Lee Jae Myung, said last year, “This state of war has to be ended quickly on whatever basis.” According to most surveys, Lee is currently enjoying a sizable polling lead over his conservative opponent from the People Power Party, and he seems to be on track to win the election in March. Assuming that Lee wins in March, the next administration will support Moon’s position, and that could open the door to renewed diplomacy with North Korea.
Lee also said, “An end-of-war declaration in itself can't be stopped for any political reason and shouldn't be stopped.” The Biden administration would be doing itself a great favor if it endorsed the position backed by Moon and Lee. In the worst case, the end of war declaration changes nothing, but it is possible that it could help create conditions for more constructive negotiations in the coming years. The U.S. gains nothing by dragging its feet and getting in South Korea’s way on this issue, and it loses nothing by supporting its ally in this initiative.