hankyoreh

First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-kun answers questions from reporters at Dulles International Airport outside Washington on Sunday during a trip to the US. (Yonhap News)

Speaking about an end-of-war declaration, Korean First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-kun said, “I think there will be a positive outcome soon.”

The remark came during an official visit to the US on Sunday.

“There is no difference of opinion between Korea and the US regarding an end-of-war declaration, and we are discussing the methodology of when and how,” Choi told reporters after arriving at Dulles International Airport near Washington for a meeting with his counterparts from the US and Japan. “We’re nearing the end of the year, so I think there will be a positive outcome soon.”

Choi noted that making sure the US and South Korea are on the same page regarding how to go about such a declaration is key. “I think we will see results soon, and after that, we will make a proposal to North Korea,” Choi told reporters.

This statement suggests that bilateral negotiations regarding how and when to push ahead with the declaration have entered the final stage. In a press conference held on Nov. 9, South Korean Ambassador to the US Lee Soo-hyuck stated, “Both countries remain engaged in active and creative efforts regarding the end-of-war declaration to the extent that we are exchanging ideas on a draft.”

However, Choi made it clear that there is no guarantee the results of discussions between Korea and the US on the end-of-war declaration will be made public. In particular, he noted that even if both countries make a formal decision to push ahead, North Korea’s response remains a separate issue.

“What is important is North Korea’s reaction,” the first vice minister stated. “The issue of how to entice and lead [the North] is a whole different assignment. That’s something we can’t easily guarantee. We just have to leave it in a black box and focus on making the best of what we have to do.”

On the issue of humanitarian support for North Korea that has been subject to discussion between Korea and the US, Choi said that due to sanctions both from the UN and the US, humanitarian aid will depend on how much trust has been built up through communication. He noted, “We have built up enough goodwill and it is time to move forward, so what is important now is making the political decision.”

Choi will meet with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Tuesday before attending a trilateral meeting with the US and Japan on Wednesday. This meeting is expected to feature discussions on issues including the Korean Peninsula peace process, global supply chains, responses to climate change, and the situation in Myanmar.

By Hwang Joon-bum, Washington correspondent

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]