JAKARTA - After 70 years of the Korean War have passed, a formal peace agreement to end the conflict still seems to be a dream. The two Koreas commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korean War amid rising tensions between nations.
The Korean War, which lasted from 1950-1953, ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty. This makes UN troops led by the United States (US) technically still at war with North Korea (North Korea). The leaders of South Korea (South Korea) in 1953 opposed the idea of a ceasefire that would make the two Koreas completely separate.
South Korean war veterans are scheduled to gather to commemorate the anniversary of the ceasefire, including at an event where US President Donald Trump and other international leaders are expected to deliver a video message. Meanwhile, the newspaper of the ruling party in North Korea ran comments urging the public to follow in the footsteps of those who are fighting to defend the country.
"Decades have passed, but the dangers of war have never left this land," the newspaper said, blaming "enemy forces" for trying to destroy North Korea.
Two years ago, a diplomacy and summit meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and the presidents of the US, South Korea and China raised hopes. Even if North Korea's nuclear arsenal is not reduced, the parties may agree to formally end the technical state of war.
But those hopes have been dashed, North Korea accuses the US and South Korea of sticking to policies that are hostile to North Korea. The US continues to press North Korea to abandon its growing arsenal of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.
A series of follow-up meetings and high-level talks failed to close the gap between the two sides. North Korea has taken an increasingly confrontational stance, resumed short-range missile launches, blew up inter-Korean liaison offices and cut communication hotlines with South Korea.
But on Wednesday, June 24, North Korea decided to postpone plans for military action against South Korea. However North Korea warned South Korea to think and behave wisely.
Historians estimate the Korean war has caused 1 million deaths of military personnel and killed several million civilians. Thousands of families were divided when the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) cut the Korean peninsula in half.
"The unresolved state of the Korean War has had devastating consequences for Korea, from the separation of thousands of families to the extreme militarization of the Korean Peninsula," said Christine Ahn, international coordinator for WomenCrossDMZ, a group advocating for peace in Korea.
Despite the concerns of many, South Korean officials will push harder to end the ceasefire arrangement. It does this by saying that it appreciates the role of the UN Command and must develop over time.
"It is time for Korea to take the center stage in maintaining its own peace and security, by ending the current state of the ceasefire and establishing a permanent peace regime on the Korean peninsula," said South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young.
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