South Korea‘s President Lee Jae Myung vowed on Tuesday to break the “vicious cycle of unnecessary military tensions” with North Korea, aiming for peaceful coexistence and shared growth.
In his first speech to the United Nations General Assembly, 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 Sunday, the leader of nuclear-armed North Korea, 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.
Kim said there was no reason to avoid talks with the U.S. if Washington stopped insisting he give up his nuclear weapons, but he would never abandon the nuclear arsenal to end U.S.-led sanctions.
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 Sunday, the North Korean leader said he would never engage in dialogue with Seoul. However, Kim said he had “fond memories” of U.S. President Donald Trump, with whom he held several summits in the U.S. leader’s first term, an engagement that collapsed over U.S. denuclearisation demands.
Trump said last month he wanted to meet Kim this year, but in a wide-ranging 55-minute speech to the U.N. on Tuesday, the U.S. leader made no mention of North Korea.
Seoul Dismantles Border Loudspeakers
South Korea is taking tangible steps to ease longstanding tensions with North Korea, following the dismantling of border loudspeakers in August.
The loudspeakers, which had long broadcast propaganda messages and warnings across the heavily militarised Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), were removed as a gesture of goodwill and a signal of Seoul’s willingness to pursue dialogue with its northern neighbour.
The move comes amid growing concerns over escalating military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Seoul dismantled the loudspeakers with an aim to reduce provocations and create a more conducive environment for diplomacy.
Officials in Seoul have emphasised that the measure was part of a broader strategy to de-escalate conflict and foster stability in the region, while maintaining readiness for any potential security threats.
(With inputs from Reuters)
