Lee vows efforts to help swiftly resume US-N. Korea dialogue
President Lee Jae Myung speaks during the 81st session of the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters, Tuesday, in New York City. World leaders have gathered in New York for the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly, with this year's global issues ranging from the threat of artificial intelligence to the continued wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Getty Images via AFP-Yonhap
NEW YORK — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday reaffirmed his envisioned role as a "pacemaker" in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula, pledging efforts to help swiftly resume dialogue between the United States and North Korea.
The South Korean president made the pledge in his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to revive his diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, while inter-Korean relations remain at a standstill.
"I hope the long-suspended dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. can resume without delay," Lee said.
"We will lay the groundwork for this (U.S.-North Korea dialogue) to develop into a dialogue between the related parties to end the war on the Korean Peninsula and transition into a peace regime."
The two Koreas remain technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.
"Fortunately, President Trump's resolve has recently created a hard-won opportunity for change," Lee said, referring to Trump's repeated expressions of interest in dialogue with the North Korean leader.
Lee said he is confident that such dialogue can provide a framework for normalizing relations among relevant parties and promoting stability and cooperation in Northeast Asia.
As South Korea pursues such efforts, it will also seek the denuclearization of North Korea through a phased approach, beginning with a halt and then reductions in the country's nuclear and missile capabilities, and eventually working toward a Korean Peninsula free from nuclear weapons, he said.
"As a direct party to peace on the Korean Peninsula, and as a pacemaker, my government will exert every effort to open and sustain the path toward dialogue," Lee said, also asking for a responsible and constructive role from the U.N. and its Security Council.
Reiterating his commitment to seeking "peaceful coexistence" with North Korea, the South Korean president said his administration will push for inclusive, stable and responsible coexistence, which he said will respect the North's system, build inter-Korean trust and promote stability and cooperation in Northeast Asia.
"We will continue to respect the North on the international stage and seek cooperation wherever possible. We hope that opportunities will emerge for us to work together in the international community, in areas such as public health, disaster response and the climate crisis," he said.