Bahk Eun-ji has been with The Korea Times since 2012, building a career across multiple desks. She began at the Business Desk, where she conducted in-depth interviews with key figures in Korea's corporate world. Later, she moved to the Politics & City Desk, focusing on education policy and social affairs. She later served as team leader of the digital content team, leading curation efforts on the newspaper’s homepage and reshaping print stories for social media audiences to enhance digital reach. Now back on the Politics Desk, she covers the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, with a renewed focus on political developments.
President reaffirms phased approach toward NK denuclearization
President Lee Jae Myung takes questions from reporters during a news conference marking the first anniversary of his inauguration at Cheong Wa Dae's Yeongbingwan Hall in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
By Bahk Eun-ji
Lee stresses dialogue, pragmatism in foreign policy
President Lee Jae Myung on Monday called for a phased approach to North Korea’s denuclearization, while saying South Korea should continue pursuing dialogue with Pyongyang despite severely strained inter-Korean relations.
He also reiterated that historical issues remain an obstacle to deeper security cooperation with Japan during a news conference marking the first anniversary of his inauguration.
Speaking at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee said complete denuclearization remains the ultimate goal but argued that negotiations should first focus on halting additional production of nuclear materials, preventing their transfer abroad and stopping further development of intercontinental ballistic missile technology.
He said setting short-, medium- and long-term goals was a more realistic approach than insisting on immediate denuclearization.
“If someone says this means giving up on denuclearization, that is simply leaving reality unattended and making the situation worse,” Lee said, adding that he has discussed the idea with U.S. President Donald Trump on several occasions.
Lee described inter-Korean relations as having deteriorated to the point where they could “hardly get any worse.”
He said Seoul remains committed to dialogue, cooperation and coexistence with Pyongyang, arguing that mutual respect is essential to improving ties.
Lee said the previous Yoon Suk Yeol government treated North Korea as an enemy rather than a counterpart for dialogue, deepening mistrust between the two sides.
He said Pyongyang has effectively shut the door to engagement and is building barriers along the border.
Even so, Lee said communication should continue regardless of political tensions.
“Even in wartime, countries continue to talk,” he said. “Even when fighting, there must be communication.”
Lee also reaffirmed his commitment to the constitutional goal of peaceful reunification, saying the government cannot abandon efforts to improve relations with the North.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a summit with President Lee Jae Myung at a hotel in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, May 19. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae
Turning to Japan, Lee said security cooperation between South Korea, Japan and the United States may be necessary in light of the region’s security environment, but cautioned against moving too quickly given unresolved historical grievances.
Lee said he had told Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that Korea and Japan should become “close and even closer” partners, but argued that lingering wounds from the colonial period continue to shape public sentiment in South Korea.
Comparing the issue to a person being asked to become friends with someone who had assaulted him in the past, Lee said genuine reconciliation requires a sincere acknowledgment of past wrongs.
“This is not about money. It is about sentiment,” Lee said. “People need to feel that the issue has truly been resolved.”
Lee acknowledged that a bilateral military support pact may have practical value, but said many South Koreans are not yet ready to accept such an agreement because historical issues remain unsettled.
Turning to the Middle East, Lee explained why he had publicly criticized Israel in recent weeks.
He said he viewed Israel soldiers’ abuse of a Palestinian in a video clip as excessive and pointed to the seizure of a vessel carrying South Korean activists in international waters.
Lee said the case involved questions of sovereignty, human rights and international norms.
“We could not simply ignore it,” he said. “It was a matter of sovereignty, a violation of international norms and a human rights issue.”
The president took a more cautious stance on Iran’s alleged involvement in the missile strike on the South Korean vessel HMM Namu near the Strait of Hormuz.
Lee said it remains unclear which entity in Iran was responsible for the attack and rejected the idea that the entity had deliberately targeted a South Korean ship.
“We are certain it was not intentional,” he said.
Still, Lee said the government has lodged a strong protest over the incident and would continue efforts to establish the facts surrounding the incident.