End to Korean War ‘agreed in principle'

North and South Korea, the United States, and China have agreed in principle to formally declare an end to the Korean War, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has announced.

Speaking in a joint press conference in Canberra on 13 December alongside Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Moon said that while the agreement is in place, discussions are yet to start because Pyongyang has placed conditions on the declaration.

“Everybody agrees to the declaration,” said Moon referring to the US, China, and North and South Korea. He added that North Korea had made an end to the “hostile policy” of the US, a precondition for the talks.

“Because of that we are not able to sit down for a discussion on the declarations between South and North Korea, and those between North Korea and United States.

“We hope that talks will be initiated. We make efforts towards that,” he said in comments published by the Australian prime minister's office.

Moon added that the near-70-year armistice between the two Koreas was “quite unstable” and that a new peace treaty could support efforts to achieve North Korean denuclearisation.

The three-year Korean War ended in July 1953 with the signing of an armistice treaty to suspend hostilities and to establish a demilitarised zone (DMZ) as a buffer between military forces.

However, the two Koreas still technically remain at war, with South Korea backed by the US, and North Korea by China.