Former Vice Unification Minister Lee Bong-jo says minister-level talks instead of a summit could declare a formal end to the Korean War.

Lee made the remark while giving a lecture on inter-Korean relations in the U.S. Wednesday.

He said the end of the Korean War could come once North Korea disables its nuclear facilities and declares all of its nuclear programs.

Lee said that though declaring the end to the Korean War and signing a peace treaty should come simultaneously, an event declaring the opening of discussions on a peace treaty could be construed as declaring an end to the Korean War in order to speed up Pyongyang’s nuclear disablement.

Lee said it was unexpected for Pyongyang to agree to hold the recent inter-Korean summit talks, adding that it is imperative for South Korea to provide the North with food and financial aid for stable transition in the communist state.

Lee said unlike Vietnam or Libya which normalized ties with the U.S., North Korea does not have the political or economic ability to go about alone in its transition.

Lee said Pyongyang will not be able to continuously use its tactic in delaying the normalization of diplomatic relations with the U.S., citing that the North had missed the opportunity to do so during the Clinton administration.