Calls for a formal declaration ending the Korean War have once again emerged in South Korea’s policy discussions. Supporters argue that such a declaration could reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula and open a new phase of diplomacy and relations with North Korea. The proposal carries understandable appeal after more than 70 years of unresolved conflict. The 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement halted open hostilities but never produced a permanent peace treaty. The armistice served only as a military ceasefire, leaving the Korean Peninsula technically in a state of war. Many policymakers, therefore, believe that formally declaring the war over could serve as a turning point in relations between North and South Korea. Yet the historical record of deeply rooted conflicts shows that expectations of rapid diplomatic transformation often prove misplaced. Conflicts sustained by long-standing political, institutional and security dynamics rarely shift simply through a single symbolic political gesture or signature. This risk can be understood through what may be called the “false butterfly eff
