DPRK urges U.S. to conclude peace treaty

On Monday Rodong Simun, the official newspaper of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), urged the United States to give up the Cold War mindset and to take a positive attitude toward replacing the 1953 Korean War Armistice Agreement [download PDF version here] with the peace treaty proposed by Pyongyang.

It defined such a step as the prerequisite for peace in the Korean Peninsula and the rest of Northeast Asia at present, adding that the DPRK made sincere efforts for its implementation.

What is even more important for settling the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the commentary said, would be for the U.S. to roll back its policy to isolate and stifle the DPRK.

It stressed the need to start talks for a peace treaty and confidence-building between the DPRK and the U.S. as early as possible.

On January 18, Pyongyang renewed its demands of negotiating a peace treaty and lifting sanctions before it would return to the six-party talks, saying failure of the discussion on concluding a peace treaty would consequently "push back the process of denuclearization."

But the U.S. dismissed the proposal later, reiterating that the first and foremost thing for Pyongyang is to return to the six-party talks.

"This cannot be interpreted as remarks made by those who truly wish for peace, stability and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." The DPRK’s proposal is "a reasonable one" aiming to end the hostility between the country and the U.S., said the article.