Is peace near for the two Koreas?

If the peace summit called for in yesterday’s agreement between the two Koreas leads to a formal end to the Korean War and a permanent easing of military tensions, it could radically reshape the security environment in Northeast Asia.
The Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice in which the Koreas remained pitted against each other across the ideological and military divide symbolized by the Military Demarcation Line. But with the Soviet Union’s collapse, and China now in many ways a capitalist country, Pyongyang has no partner for its brand of communism. The United States and China, once enemies, are now allies in seeking a peaceful way forward on the issue of North Korea.
A government official explained that the idea of a “peace regime,” as it pertains to the peninsula, means establishing a regional security forum along the lines of NATO. “The whole idea is to have permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula,” said the official. “In what form peace comes is still an open question.”
The official said that replacing the armistice with a peace treaty was only a first step in building a stable political structure on the Korean Peninsula.
The move was long anticipated as a logical step to follow from the North Korean nuclear talks once a broad agreement on denuclearization was reached in September 2005.
With progress in the North Korean nuclear talks now being made, Pyongyang is seeking to normalize ties with Washington and end its isolation.
The summit could provide the opportunity for the two Koreas to force a peace treaty discussion on the international agenda, but consent from Washington is vital. The White House so far is playing along with President George W. Bush saying in November that he was willing to replace the armistice with a permanent peace treaty, provided the North fulfilled its obligations to denuclearize.

By Brian Lee Staff Writer