South Korea ? South Korea sent special envoys to the U.S. and other countries Friday to brief them on a new deal with North Korea calling for multinational talks to formally end the Korean War.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il agreed Thursday to seek a meeting of parties to the cease-fire that ended the 1950-53 Korean War, with the aim of signing a permanent peace treaty.

That would require the participation of the U.S. and China, who also fought in the conflict.

President Bush told Roh last month that he was willing to formally end the war, but insisted it could only happen after Pyong-yang’s total nuclear disarmament.