President puts multilateralism at center of diplomacy on North Korea, Hormuz issue

President Lee Jae Myung has placed multilateralism at the center of his foreign policy at a time when North Korea refuses to engage South Korea and his government faces pressure to join a U.S.-led military mission in the Strait of Hormuz.

His emphasis on multinational engagement with Pyongyang, including Beijing, has come as the reclusive regime continues to refuse to communicate with Seoul and while the anticipated Washington-Pyongyang dialogue has not resumed.

Lee’s call for an alliance with other countries on the Hormuz issue also comes as U.S. President Donald Trump presses Seoul to make military contributions to help secure the vital waterway amid its monthslong war against Iran. Other U.S. allies have also been reluctant to deploy forces, leaving Lee to seek ways for South Korea to contribute without joining the fighting.

Lee used his speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Tuesday (local time) to call for the North Korea issue to expand beyond U.S.-North Korea talks and instead toward discussions among all parties concerned with ending the Korean War and establishing a peace regime.

“For decades, the two Koreas, along with key countries such as the U.S. and China, have recognized the need for a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula and discussed ways to achieve it,” Lee said.

He expressed hope that long-suspended dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. would “resume without delay.” He added, “We will lay the groundwork for this to develop into a dialogue among the parties aimed at ending the war on the Korean Peninsula. I am convinced that dialogue to establish a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula will not only normalize relations between involved parties but also facilitate co-development through multilateral cooperation and stability in East Asia."

Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies, interpreted Lee’s call for U.S.-North Korea talks to come first “as a recognition of how difficult it has become for Seoul to open a direct channel with Pyongyang.”

"U.S.-North Korea talks could be a starting point for breaking the deadlock, but an agreement between Washington and Pyongyang alone would be unlikely to establish a lasting peace regime on the peninsula," Yang said.

"Lee’s remarks suggest he sees China’s participation as necessary if discussions expand to ending the Korean War and building a peace framework, given Beijing’s role in the armistice and its stake in the peninsula’s security."

Meanwhile, Lee met with Trump for about 30 minutes on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly later that day, with the U.S. president reaffirming his willingness to talk with North Korea, according to National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac.

The two presidents agreed to remain in close contact as Trump acts as a “peacemaker” and Lee as a “pacemaker” to help open dialogue and establish sustainable peace on the peninsula.

As for the Strait of Hormuz issue and other global conflicts, Lee said geopolitical crises have given lessons about the importance of multilateral cooperation and international rules.

He called for a “partnership of constructive contributors,” in which countries would work together to protect energy supply chains, using existing institutions and flexible arrangements rather than creating a new organization.

“The most urgent and realistic path is for countries with the capacity and willingness to supply global public goods to join hands and broaden the scope of cooperation,” Lee said in his U.N. address.

The president has yet to specify which countries would join the proposed partnership or what measures it would take.

Separately from the U.S. calls for military contribution, South Korea has also been discussing free navigation in the Hormuz Strait as part of an initiative led by the U.K. and France.

A security analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity interpreted Lee's proposal as "an indirect appeal for other countries," potentially including other U.S. allies, to participate in efforts to secure safe and free passage in the strait.

“It makes sense for Seoul to seek a way to contribute to maritime security without becoming involved in the U.S.-Iran war, as it tries to satisfy Washington without provoking Tehran,” he said.

The analyst was referring to Lee’s remarks at a Sept. 18 press conference, during which he ruled out deploying Korean forces or military assets to take part in the war with Iran while leaving open measures to protect Korean ships, oil shipments and citizens.