North Korean media urges announcing end of Korea War

SEOUL, July 24 (UPI) -- North Korean state media has upped the ante in their calls for announcing the formal end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

State newspaper Rodong Shinmun said in its editorial on Wednesday the U.S. holds "responsibility and duty" in announcing the formal end to the Korean War, as agreed in the June 12 summit.

"Announcing the formal end to the Korean War was agreed at the North-South and the North-U.S. summits and is the first step towards reducing tension in the Korean peninsula and establishing a peace regime," it said.

"It's required for building trust between the North and the U.S. Especially, the U.S. holds a responsibility and duty in declaring the end of the war."

The editorial denounced South Korean conservatives, including the major opposition Liberty Korea Party, which it views as hesitant to support inter-Korean exchanges.

Propaganda outlet Meari blamed the U.S. for not accepting the North's request to declare an official end to the war, according to Yonhap.

"The international community points out that the U.S. will ruin important matters if they don't accept the request for declaring the official end to the Korean War," a Meari report said Wednesday.

Uriminzokkiri, another state-run propaganda outlet, has said repeatedly since last week establishing a peace regime should not be neglected.

North Korea has called for announcing the permanent end to the Korean War since U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Pyongyang for the first working-level talks for denuclearization since the June 12 summit between U.S. and North Korean leaders.

At his June 6-7 meeting in Pyongyang, Pompeo pressured the North to take action to implement denuclearization pledges. The North showed its willingness, but without a detailed timeline. Pyongyang instead requested an announcement of the war's end, a first step in the process for denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.