Let's end the war but will the warring parties agree? Seoul again offers to declare the end of the Korean War - even before a peace agreement is formed. Local media write that the South Koreans intend to discuss with the Americans the inclusion of such a statement in the possible final document of the meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. An important distinction: a declaration is a non-binding political gesture, not a substitute for a peace agreement. The logic of its proponents is simple: give the parties a result they can both present as a success, and use it to open further negotiations. The idea is far from new, as other South Korean presidents have promoted it in the past - the most recent being Moon Jae-in, which coincided with active contacts between Americans and North Koreans several years ago. In Seoul, the announcement was considered an entry into negotiations, after which the disarmament should end in a full peace agreement. But the initiative did not go any further - in Washington they tied the end of the war to the disarmament of nuclear weapons, and in Pyongyang they did not want to make concessions in the nuclear field for the sake of a declaration. Even in the current South Korean government there is no unity on this issue. In Seoul, they are again trying to knock on a closed door for their purposes. First, to ensure the status of a player who sets the pace for potential negotiations, and second, to present such an outcome as a step towards ending the war on the peninsula - the current president has spoken of such intentions more than once. The only nuance is that the likelihood of negotiations between Americans and North Koreans is still low. In addition, in Washington, the announcement itself may be perceived differently again - after all, the United States has not yet changed its attitude regarding the need to denuclearize North Korea. So the South Korean initiative may not succeed. Korea - your ticket to the Pacific Confusion Support us.