By Kim Rahn
President Moon Jae-in has reaffirmed that signing a treaty to formally end the Korean War will require a tripartite agreement among North and South Korea and the United States, and is not possible just between the two Koreas.
He made the remarks during a 40-minute phone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Tuesday, three days before his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
It has recently become known that the two Koreas and the U.S. could discuss the possibility of changing the current armistice agreement into a peace treaty in the inter-Korean and following Washington-Pyongyang summits.
"Declaring the end of the war cannot be achieved through inter-Korean talks; it can only be done when at least the two Koreas and the U.S. agree on it," Moon was quoted as saying by presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom.
"To meet these conditions, I'll closely cooperate with the U.S. and Prime Minister Abe."
He said the success of the inter-Korean summit would not only lead to the success of the Washington-Pyongyang meeting but also help normalize relations between Japan and the North.
After Moon asked Abe about the need for Tokyo-Pyongyang talks later, the prime minister said Japan and North Korea have had many problems such as the North's nuclear and missile tests and its kidnapping of Japanese citizens, but the two countries could begin talks smoothly if the inter-Korean and Washington-Pyongyang summits are successful, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
"The success of the two summits means resolutions of the nuclear, missile and kidnapping issues. In that case, Japan and North Korea will be able to settle past affairs and normalize ties based on the Pyongyang Declaration," Abe was quoted as saying.
The Pyongyang Declaration refers to an agreement signed by former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2002, according to which the two nations agreed to settle past conflicts and normalize political, economic and cultural relations.
Talking about his recent bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, Abe said Trump promised to do his best to raise the Japanese kidnapping issue at the Washington-Pyongyang summit and help the abductees return home.
He also asked Moon to raise the issue at the inter-Korean summit. Moon replied that South Korea has already done this whenever there was a chance. "I'll deliver your stance during my summit with Kim. I'm planning to tell him that resolving the Japanese kidnapping issue will help establish peace in Northeast Asia," Moon said.
The President also promised to call Abe after the inter-Korean summit and brief him about the outcome.
President Moon Jae-in has reaffirmed that signing a treaty to formally end the Korean War will require a tripartite agreement among North and South Korea and the United States, and is not possible just between the two Koreas.
He made the remarks during a 40-minute phone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Tuesday, three days before his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
It has recently become known that the two Koreas and the U.S. could discuss the possibility of changing the current armistice agreement into a peace treaty in the inter-Korean and following Washington-Pyongyang summits.
"Declaring the end of the war cannot be achieved through inter-Korean talks; it can only be done when at least the two Koreas and the U.S. agree on it," Moon was quoted as saying by presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom.
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"To meet these conditions, I'll closely cooperate with the U.S. and Prime Minister Abe."
He said the success of the inter-Korean summit would not only lead to the success of the Washington-Pyongyang meeting but also help normalize relations between Japan and the North.
After Moon asked Abe about the need for Tokyo-Pyongyang talks later, the prime minister said Japan and North Korea have had many problems such as the North's nuclear and missile tests and its kidnapping of Japanese citizens, but the two countries could begin talks smoothly if the inter-Korean and Washington-Pyongyang summits are successful, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
"The success of the two summits means resolutions of the nuclear, missile and kidnapping issues. In that case, Japan and North Korea will be able to settle past affairs and normalize ties based on the Pyongyang Declaration," Abe was quoted as saying.
The Pyongyang Declaration refers to an agreement signed by former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2002, according to which the two nations agreed to settle past conflicts and normalize political, economic and cultural relations.
Talking about his recent bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, Abe said Trump promised to do his best to raise the Japanese kidnapping issue at the Washington-Pyongyang summit and help the abductees return home.
He also asked Moon to raise the issue at the inter-Korean summit. Moon replied that South Korea has already done this whenever there was a chance. "I'll deliver your stance during my summit with Kim. I'm planning to tell him that resolving the Japanese kidnapping issue will help establish peace in Northeast Asia," Moon said.
The President also promised to call Abe after the inter-Korean summit and brief him about the outcome.
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