Through next week's inter-Korean summit, South Korea will aim to push forward negotiations on North Korea’s denuclearization and on declaring a formal end to the Korean War within the year.

Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung made the pledge on Thursday at the 2018 Seoul Defense Dialogue.

He said Seoul’s problem-solving endeavors, Pyongyang’s strategic choices and active cooperation from Washington and other members of the international community have all led to efforts toward establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula. 

Chun highlighted South Korea's mediating role between the U.S. and the North, referring to Seoul's special envoy to Pyongyang last week, amid Washington and Pyongyang's stalled talks due to different priorities between the North's denuclearization and security guarantees for Pyongyang.

He then said the major shift in circumstances surrounding the Korean Peninsula since early this year all began from progress in inter-Korean ties, adding Seoul will accelerate the implementation of the Panmunjeom Declaration agreed between the leaders of the two Koreas in April.

[Photo : YONHAP News]