South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday pledged to end what he called a “vicious cycle of unnecessary military tensions” with North Korea, presenting a vision of peaceful coexistence and gradual cooperation between the two Koreas.
Delivering his first address to the United Nations General Assembly, Lee outlined a “phased solution” to the nuclear issue, stressing that denuclearization could not be achieved overnight but required patience and step-by-step progress.
His comments came just two days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed phased proposals as insincere, accusing Washington and Seoul of using dialogue as a tool to weaken Pyongyang. While Kim said he would not give up his nuclear arsenal to end sanctions, he added there was “no reason to avoid talks” with the U.S. if Washington abandoned its disarmament demands.
Lee said Seoul had already taken steps to de-escalate, including halting propaganda leaflets and loudspeaker broadcasts along the border, and would continue efforts to rebuild trust. “By gradually expanding inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, we will pave the way for sustainable peace,” he told the Assembly.
Kim, however, ruled out dialogue with Seoul, though he recalled his earlier summits with U.S. President Donald Trump fondly. Trump has said he hopes to meet Kim again this year, but in his wide-ranging speech to the UN on Tuesday, he made no mention of North Korea.
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