North Korea rejects South Korean President Moon Jae-in's call for 'end-of-war declaration'

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, while addressing the 76th United Nations General Assembly reiterated his calls for the end-of-the-war declaration. Moon Jae-in stated that this step could help in achieving denuclearisation and peace on the Korean Peninsula according to AP. However, North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Ri Thae Song dismissed the call of the South Korean Prime Minister calling it 'premature' unless they do not change US policies, reported CNN. 

Ri Thae Song in the statement stated that the declaration of ending the war was not at all helpful to stabilise the situation of the North Korean Peninsula. Ri Thae Song in the statement said, "It should be clearly understood that the declaration of the termination of the war is of no help at all to stabilizing the situation of the Korean Peninsula at the moment but can rather be misused as a smokescreen covering up the US hostile policy", AP reported citing state media. Reportedly, Song said that US weapons and troops were deployed in South Korea and its vicinity. 

Song also alleged that the US was regularly conducting military drills in South Korea. Furthermore, he stated that US-led economic sanctions against North Korea proved their hostility against their country, reported AP. Later on Friday, the South Korean Unification Ministry stated that they continue their efforts to adopt the end-of-the war declaration and strengthening cooperation with related countries. Cha Duck Chul, a deputy ministry spokesman, stated the declaring the end of the war would be "a very meaningful step." Chul further stated that it could be a starting point for peace and denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula. According to The Associated Press, both the nations had called for an end-of-war declaration and a signing of a peace treaty during the period of diplomacy that began in 2018 with the United States. 

Image: AP/Twitter/@TheBlueHouseENG

Inputs from AP