President Lee seeks to facilitate North Korea-U.S. dialogue

President Lee Jae-myung announced a proactive stance to facilitate the resumption of North Korea-U.S. dialogue, aiming to transform the current armistice system into a peace regime based on cooperation and prosperity.

Speaking at the 22nd Democratic Peaceful Unification Advisory Council Americas Regional Meeting in Incheon, Lee noted that Donald Trump’s willingness to engage with North Korea presents an opportunity to shift the peninsula's political landscape. He emphasized that South Korea must act as a primary stakeholder to build trust and create conditions for constructive discussions rather than waiting for changes from the other side.

Lee highlighted the need to institutionalize peace to prevent recurring tensions caused by domestic political shifts or international volatility. He also reaffirmed his commitment to reclaiming wartime operational control to fulfill South Korea’s responsibility as a central actor in regional and global peace. He described the current seven-year hiatus in inter-Korean dialogue as a period where energy is wasted on confrontation, calling for a move toward his vision of ‘inclusive, stable, and responsible peaceful coexistence’.