What is the crux of the N.K.-U.S. joint communique?

The crux of the North Korea-U.S. joint communique is the agreement on converting the armistice pact to a peace treaty. A consummation of this agreement would signify the official and legal end of the state of war on the Korean peninsula, which has lasted half a century since the Korean War (1950-1953).

Because of the joint declaration, discussions on a peace agreement for the Korean peninsula are expected to accelerate. The talks may take the form of a 4-way meeting as mentioned in the declaration or another shape.

However, there are many obstacles to overcome as the North Korea, South Korea and the U.S. hold many dissenting opinions on the principal bodies, process and prerequisite conditions surrounding the agreement. Probably the most important point will be whether North Korea can give up its position of consummating a peace agreement with the U.S. With the U.S. armed forces having wartime operations authority, North Korea believes the U.S. has the power to guarantee it its way of life. Unless North Korea abandons this belief, the 4-way meetings will again become a 2+2 meeting with North Korea and the U.S. leading.

In the foreign affairs circle, due to the progress being made in South-North relations and North Korea-U.S. relations, the peace talks may in fact be a 3-way meeting.

In the process of negotiating with North Korea, the issues relating to the U.N. Command and U.S. armed forces in Korea will be sensitive matters. If a peace agreement is signed, North Korea will demand the retreat of the U.N. Command and the U.S. forces, as there would be no justification for their being stationed here.