South Korea's president has said he would agree to a deal between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in which North Korea agreed to freeze production of its nuclear weapons, rather than get rid of them. Lee Jae Myung told the BBC North Korea was producing an additional 15-20 nuclear weapons a year and that a freeze - as 'an interim emergency measure' - would be 'a feasible, realistic alternative' to denuclearisation for now.
North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2022 and vowed to never relinquish its weapons. 'So long as we do not give up on the long-term goal of denuclearisation, I believe there are clear benefits to having North Korea stop its nuclear and missile development,' Lee Jae Myung said. 'The question is whether we persist with fruitless attempts towards the ultimate goal of denuclearisation or we set more realistic goals and achieve some of them,' Lee added.
President Lee, who entered office in June, wants to establish peaceful relations with North Korea and reduce tensions, which flared under his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached for trying to impose martial law last year. The South Korean leader has been vocal about wanting President Trump to resume nuclear talks with Kim, which broke down in 2019 during Trump's first term, after the US asked the North to dismantle its nuclear facilities.
In a speech to parliament, the North Korean leader suggested he would negotiate with Trump – but only if the US dropped its demand for denuclearisation.
Lee believes that Trump and Kim could come back together, given they 'seem to have a degree of mutual trust.' This could benefit South Korea and contribute to global peace and security, he added.
The BBC sat down with the South Korean president at his office in Seoul, ahead of his trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Despite holding the presidency of the UN Security Council, Lee refrained from criticizing the organization's inability to impose further sanctions on the North due to both China and Russia’s veto power.
In terms of South Korea's diplomatic strategy, Lee is aware that the nation must balance its international relations, especially concerning the consequences of growing ties between China, Russia, and North Korea. He stated that as these nations become closer, South Korea must continue to cooperate with the US and Japan. Lee emphasized that while navigating these complex geopolitical currents is difficult, maintaining a middle ground is crucial for South Korea’s stability and security.
North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2022 and vowed to never relinquish its weapons. 'So long as we do not give up on the long-term goal of denuclearisation, I believe there are clear benefits to having North Korea stop its nuclear and missile development,' Lee Jae Myung said. 'The question is whether we persist with fruitless attempts towards the ultimate goal of denuclearisation or we set more realistic goals and achieve some of them,' Lee added.
President Lee, who entered office in June, wants to establish peaceful relations with North Korea and reduce tensions, which flared under his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached for trying to impose martial law last year. The South Korean leader has been vocal about wanting President Trump to resume nuclear talks with Kim, which broke down in 2019 during Trump's first term, after the US asked the North to dismantle its nuclear facilities.
In a speech to parliament, the North Korean leader suggested he would negotiate with Trump – but only if the US dropped its demand for denuclearisation.
Lee believes that Trump and Kim could come back together, given they 'seem to have a degree of mutual trust.' This could benefit South Korea and contribute to global peace and security, he added.
The BBC sat down with the South Korean president at his office in Seoul, ahead of his trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Despite holding the presidency of the UN Security Council, Lee refrained from criticizing the organization's inability to impose further sanctions on the North due to both China and Russia’s veto power.
In terms of South Korea's diplomatic strategy, Lee is aware that the nation must balance its international relations, especially concerning the consequences of growing ties between China, Russia, and North Korea. He stated that as these nations become closer, South Korea must continue to cooperate with the US and Japan. Lee emphasized that while navigating these complex geopolitical currents is difficult, maintaining a middle ground is crucial for South Korea’s stability and security.
