"Koreas seek formal end to Korean war" (Reuters)

[A HERETIC I AM]

By Jonathan Thatcher

SEOUL (Reuters) - Leaders of the two Koreas agreed on Thursday to try to bring peace to the Cold War's last frontier, just a day after the North signed up to an international deal to disable its nuclear facilities.

But some analysts said the pledges at only the second summit between North and South Korea were limited, with the hermit North clearly reluctant to break much new ground.

"North and South Korea shared the view they must end the current armistice and build a permanent peace regime," President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il said in a joint statement at the end of their three-day meeting in Pyongyang.

They will push for talks next month with China and the United States to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, which technically is still going on because a peace treaty has yet to be signed.

(Further down the page, this appears; ) The summit ended just a day after North Korea agreed to disable the three main nuclear facilities at its Yongbyon site -- and a source of material for atomic weapons -- and provide a full declaration of all its nuclear programs by the end of the year.

More here: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSSEO15784020071004

[robinlynne]

1. how wonderful.

[leftchick]

2. so will S Korea finally kick the US out?

cheney won't like that!

[Lex1775]

3. The S.Korean students and younger generations might not want us there but...

The older generations and the government sure as hell does. They had plenty of chances to boot us out long ago and declined to do so.

[leftchick]

6. really?

I suppose these are all young people?



Protesters in Seoul tear U.S. flags during an anti-U.S. rally held after the acquittals of two U.S. soldiers whose vehicle killed two South Korean girls, 2002. © AP Photo

[Lex1775]

8. Yep, they actually are.

I was stationed over there when that happened and 90% of the "rioting" took place in or around the vicinity of the massive university they have in Seoul. We would have daily protests outside our base and it was rare to see any protesters beyond the mid-20's. Most of the older generation (what we would call Baby Boomers in America) would often apologize to us about the way the younger people were acting. THEIR parents would STILL want to shake hands and thank anyone in a US uniform.

By the way, the Seoul University campus and surronding blocks have long been "No-go" zones for American military personnel. This wasn't requested by the Korean government, it was the US government that told us to stay away.

[LeftishBrit]

4. That would be great news if it works out!

[theoldman]

5. Not one of our presidents has done very much to end the

Korean war. Bush Jr. has been the worst by stirring things up just when the two Korea's were beginning to communicate with each other. If Bush had controlled his big mouth we would be bringing home some of the troops. Of course the poor bastards would have had to go to Iraq.

[Fredda Weinberg]

7. The Koreas never stopped communicating

It's fascinating to watch KBS ... you learn how they see themselves. Families will soon reconcile - this is a good development.