South Korea's Roh wants Korean peace treaty talks
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-25 11:42

South Korea wants to begin discussions for a permanent peace treaty to replace an armistice with North Korea, President Roh Moo-hyun said on Wednesday.

Roh agreed with U.S. President George W. Bush in November that peace treaty talks should take place in parallel with ongoing negotiations to dismantle North Korea's nuclear weapons programs.

"We will resolutely prepare for negotiations with related countries for the establishment of a peace regime on the Korean peninsula," Roh said at a news conference.

South and North Korea remain technically at war under a truce signed by the North, the United States and China that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

"We will also do our best to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue peacefully," Roh said.

Six-country talks aimed at ending the North's nuclear ambitions in return for aid, security assurances and improved diplomatic ties have hit a snag. The last round was held in November.

Pyongyang has demanded the suspension of a U.S. crackdown on several firms Washington suspects of involvement in illicit financial activities by the North as a precondition to returning to the nuclear talks.

Roh also said South Korea would work with the United States to complete this year a measure allowing South Korea to take over war-time command of its troops from the U.S. military.