South Korean President Lee Jae-myung Emphasizes Phased Denuclearization of North Korea on First Anniversary

(Central News Agency, Seoul, 8th – Combined Foreign Reports) South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated at a press conference marking his first year in office on Thursday that he supports the long-term denuclearization of North Korea, emphasizing that a phased approach through dialogue between Seoul and Pyongyang is more practical.

According to a report by the South Korean media outlet JoongAng Ilbo, Lee held the press conference at the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, in central Seoul. He said, "In the long term, we must of course move towards denuclearization, but in reality, we must engage in substantive dialogue based on short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals."

Lee's anniversary remarks came as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on the same day for a two-day state visit, his first visit to North Korea in seven years. Xi is expected to hold bilateral talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Lee described this as a form of negotiation suspension and proposed a phased suspension of North Korea's nuclear material production and nuclear warhead development until Pyongyang achieves complete denuclearization.

He called for setting short-term goals in negotiations with North Korea, including halting the increase in nuclear material production, suspending nuclear material exports, and stopping the development of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) technology.

"To say this means abandoning denuclearization is to ignore the facts and will only worsen the situation. I believe it is an irresponsible act. I have conveyed this idea to U.S. President Donald Trump multiple times," Lee said.

However, despite the sensitive security situation on the Korean Peninsula, Lee emphasized that Seoul has no intention of developing nuclear weapons, calling such an idea "a highly irresponsible act."

Lee stressed that South Korea cannot possess nuclear weapons and arm itself with them. "If we do that, will Japan and Taiwan just sit idly by? The entire region will develop nuclear weapons and arm themselves," he said.

When asked by a Japanese journalist about his stance on the "Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement" (ACSA) between South Korea and Japan, Lee responded that such measures might be necessary, "but based on current public opinion, it is difficult to accept at this stage."

Lee's remarks indicate that it is still too early for Seoul and Tokyo to pursue institutionalized logistics support cooperation like ACSA, as South Korean public opinion remains highly sensitive to Japan's attitude regarding historical issues stemming from Japan's colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945.

Using a metaphor, Lee emphasized the need for Japan to offer a "sincere apology." He compared the Korea-Japan historical issue to a "mutual fight," where one party is beaten black and blue and unable to work.

"Only when the other party says, 'I'm sorry for hitting you before, and I won't do it again,' can we become true friends. This is not just my opinion; it is a sentiment deep in the hearts of the Korean people," he said.

Continuing the metaphor, Lee added that South Korea is not demanding that the offending party "reimburse all past medical expenses or lost income," emphasizing that the issue is not about money but about emotions related to historical issues such as the "forced labor" (Japanese companies' forced conscription of Korean workers) during World War II. (Editor: Hong Qiyuan) 1150608