A South Korean official on Wednesday said the country would consider negotiating a peace treaty with North Korea following the rogue state’s denuclearization, according to local news outlet Yonhap.

That followed daily newspaper Munhwa Ilbo reporting on Tuesday that the two countries were already in talks to announce a permanent end to the officially declared military conflict between them.

Ahead of a summit next week between North Korean premier Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, lawmakers from the neighboring states were thought to be negotiating the details of a joint statement that could outline an end to the confrontation.

Kim and Moon could also discuss returning the heavily fortified demilitarized zone separating them to its original state, Munhwa Ilbo said.

Pyongyang and Seoul have technically been at war since the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended with a truce — and not a peace treaty. Geopolitical tensions have occasionally flared up since the armistice, although both countries have so far managed to avoid another devastating conflict.

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