Moon reiterates ending Korean War will have no impact on US Forces Korea and UN command

South Korean President Moon Jae-in enters the Dongdaemun Design Plaza press center in Seoul to report the results of the Pyongyang inter-Korean summit to the South Korean public on Sept. 20. (photo pool)

USFK alliance issue between SK and US, separate from inter-Korean relations

A declaration ending the Korean War would have no impact on the status of US Forces Korea (USFK) and the UN Command, South Korean President Moon Jae-in asserted on Sept. 20.

“There seem to be slightly different concepts concerning the words ‘end-of-war declaration,’” President Moon said in a report to the South Korean public at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) press center that day regarding his recent inter-Korean summit.

“Some seem to view it like a peace agreement, claiming it would force the dismantling of the UN Command’s status or create pressure for a withdrawal of USFK,” he began.

“An end-of-war declaration would be a political declaration on the ending of war and hostile relations, marking the beginning of peace negotiations. It would not have any effect in terms of the UN Command’s status or the withdrawal of USFK,” he stressed.

President Moon also said he had “confirmed that [North Korean leader] Kim Jong-un understands an end-of-war declaration to be the same concept as I do.”

“The stationing of USFK in particular is based on the South Korea-US alliance and is a matter that depends entirely on the decisions of South Korea and the US, regardless of any end-of-war declaration or peace agreement,” he added.

He went to say, “Because a peace agreement [to replace the current armistice agreement] would be happening in the final stages of complete denuclearization, the current armistice system would be maintained until then.”

“Our goal is to have an end-of-war declaration within the year, and I plan to discuss this again during my summit with President Donald Trump,” he said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in reports the results of the third inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang during a press conference at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on Sept. 20. (photo pool)

Highlights importance of Pyongyang summit’s military agreements

President Moon further declared that the “military agreement was the most crucial achievement in terms of inter-Korean relations at this Pyongyang inter-Korean summit.”

“If this agreement is properly implemented, South and North should be able to proceed to discussions on reducing threatening military weaponry and troops on both sides, including the long-range artillery that targets the Seoul area on our side,” he predicted.

“In addition to stopping the war that has yet to end between South and North since the armistice agreement, this would also eliminate the possibility of future war at the source,” he said.

President Moon went on announced plans to “establish a pan-governmental system to quickly implement the Pyongyang Declaration, and hold high-level inter-Korean talks as soon as possible.”

He also shared a spoken agreement with Kim that was not included in the two leaders’ Pyongyang Declaration.

“We agreed to have an [inter-Korean] National Assembly meeting in the near future and to promote exchanges at the local government level,” he explained.

“To allow for permanent operation of the divided family reunion site at Mt. Kumgang, I requested that North Korea lift its confiscation measures [for related facilities], which Chairman Kim agreed to do,” he added.

By Kim Bo-hyeop, staff reporter

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