North Korea "Not at the time of declaration of end of war"... 7 hours later "I am willing to restore relationship"

<Anchor>

North Korea made a statement twice today (24th) to the declaration of an end to the war that President Moon Jae-in proposed again. He responded that it was not the right time to declare the end of the war, but he said he was willing to restore inter-Korean relations.

This is Ahn Jung-shik, a reporter specializing in North Korea.

<Reporter>

President Moon Jae-in, who finished his visit to the US, emphasized the declaration of an end to the Korean War at an in-flight press conference on his way home.

[President Moon Jae-in: There is a consensus (between the countries involved) that such a process is necessary, and it is a problem that will eventually be faced when dialogue begins between North and South Korea between North and South

Korea

.]

He said that it has nothing to do with USFK and that negotiations for a peace treaty through a declaration of an end to the war and negotiations on the denuclearization of North Korea should proceed in two tracks.

President Moon also assessed that North Korea's provocations are progressing to the extent that the US has not given up on dialogue.

[President Moon Jae-in: It seems that North Korea is still considering various considerations while keeping the door open for dialogue.] The

North Korean reaction came 9 hours after President Moon returned home.

In a statement this morning in the name of Vice Foreign Minister Ri Tae-sung, North Korea said that it was not yet time to declare an end to the war, and that as long as the US hostile policy toward North Korea remains, the declaration of an end to the war is only an illusion.

Although he acknowledged the symbolic meaning of the declaration of an end to the war, it was interpreted as expressing a negative stance on President Moon's proposal.

However, in today's discourse under the name of Kim Yeo-jeong, the tone has changed.

Although now is not the right time for a declaration of an end to the war, he changed his position as a good idea and said he was willing to discuss the restoration of inter-Korean relations.

It seems that the fact that the two discourses were made in just 7 hours and the message toward South Korea was changed to a positive one was based on the judgment that the possibility of improving inter-Korean relations should be left open amid the continued economic hardship due to the corona border lockdown.

Although it will be difficult for an end-of-war declaration to be pursued immediately, there is a possibility that President Moon's proposal will serve as an opportunity to restore inter-Korean relations, including the restoration of communication lines.

(Video editing: Park Ki-duk)