Peace treaty no bargaining chip says N Korea

SEOUL: North Korea yesterday ruled out dismantling its nuclear arsenal in exchange for the US declaring an end to the Korean War, saying a peace treaty should “never be a bargaining chip,” reports AFP.

The North has for decades demanded that the US formally declare the end of the 1950-53 conflict that was halted only with an armistice, saying an official end to the war would ease tensions on the flashpoint peninsula.

At a summit with the South’s President Moon Jae-in last month, the North’s leader Kim Jong Un offered to shut down its main Yongbyon nuclear complex if Washington takes “corresponding measures”. Kim did not elaborate on what those measure might be, but state news agency KCNA said in a commentary that some US experts have suggested trading the end of the war for denuclearisation. It flatly described that as only the “most basic... process” to restore ties, not a point for negotiation.

“The end of war... is not just a gift from a man to another at all. Furthermore, it can never be a bargaining chip for getting the DPRK denuclearised,” it said, using the North’s full name.

KCNA said that Pyongyang was willing to take “such... steps as eternal dismantlement” of its nuclear complex “if the US takes a corresponding measure” but again did not elaborate.

Cho Sung-ryul, analyst at the Institute of National Security Strategy, said the commentary may be aimed at limiting Washington’s room for manoeuvre.

“The North is trying to reduce the negotiating value of Washington’s potential offer of a peace treaty, by suggesting that ‘it’s not good enough to make us denuclearise’,” he told South Korea’s news agency Yonhap.

A landmark summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in June led to a warming of ties, but there has been little concrete progress toward denuclearisation.

 

Peace treaty no bargaining chip says N Korea

SEOUL: North Korea yesterday ruled out dismantling its nuclear arsenal in exchange for the US declaring an end to the Korean War, saying a peace treaty should never be a bargaining chip, reports AFP. The North has for decades demanded that the US formally declare the end of the 1950-53 conflict that was halted only with an armistice, saying an official end to the war would ease tensions on the flashpoint peninsula. At a summit with the Souths President Moon Jae-in last month, the Norths leader Kim Jong Un offered to shut down its main Yongbyon nuclear complex if Washington takes corresponding measures. Kim did not elaborate on what those measure might be, but state news agency KCNA said in a commentary that some US experts have suggested trading the end of the war for denuclearisation. It flatly described that as only the most basic... process to restore ties, not a point for negotiation. The end of war... is not just a gift from a man to another at all. Furthermore, it can never be a bargaining chip for getting the DPRK denuclearised, it said, using the Norths full name. KCNA said that Pyongyang was willing to take such... steps as eternal dismantlement of its nuclear complex if the US takes a corresponding measure but again did not elaborate. Cho Sung-ryul, analyst at the Institute of National Security Strategy, said the commentary may be aimed at limiting Washingtons room for manoeuvre. The North is trying to reduce the negotiating value of Washingtons potential offer of a peace treaty, by suggesting that its not good enough to make us denuclearise, he told South Koreas news agency Yonhap. A landmark summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in June led to a warming of ties, but there has been little concrete progress toward denuclearisation.