At UN, South Korea’s leader vows to reduce tensions with North Korea
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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung addressing the UN General Assembly on Sept 23.
PHOTO: AFP
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- Lee Jae Myung seeks to end military tensions with North Korea for peaceful coexistence and shared growth, with a phased approach to denuclearisation.
- Kim Jong Un rejects phased denuclearisation, criticising Washington and Seoul's intentions, but is open to talks if the US drops demands.
- Lee will reduce military tensions, restore inter-Korean trust, and expand exchanges for sustainable peace, despite Kim's rejection of dialogue.
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UNITED NATIONS, United States - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung vowed on Sept 23 to end a “vicious cycle of unnecessary military tensions” with North Korea, with the aim of achieving peaceful coexistence and shared growth.
In his first speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Mr Lee emphasised his vision of a “phased solution” to the North Korean nuclear issue, “based on a cool-headed perception that denuclearisation cannot be achieved in the short term.”
On Sept 21, the leader of nuclear-armed North Korea, Mr Kim Jong Un, rejected any phased plan, saying recent overtures from Washington and Seoul for dialogue were disingenuous because their fundamental intent to weaken Pyongyang remained unchanged.
Mr Kim said there was no reason to avoid talks with the US if Washington stopped insisting he give up his nuclear weapons, but he would never abandon the nuclear arsenal to end US-led sanctions.
Mr Lee said Seoul would “consistently seek a path to reduce military tensions and restore inter-Korean trust” and pointed to recent actions like halting propaganda leaflets and loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea.
“By gradually expanding inter-Korean exchanges in cooperation, we will pave the way for sustainable peace,” he said.
On Sept 21, the North Korean leader said he would never engage in dialogue with Seoul. However, Mr Kim said he had “fond memories” of US President Donald Trump, with whom he held several summits in the US leader’s first term, engagement that collapsed over US denuclearisation demands.
Mr Trump said in August he wanted to meet Mr Kim this year, but in a wide-ranging 55-minute speech to the UN on Sept 23, the US leader made no mention of North Korea. REUTERS
