Why did President Lee call for stronger security cooperation at the Seoul Defense Dialogue?

He said the international security environment faces unprecedented and complex challenges. Lee pointed to ongoing confrontations and armed conflicts worldwide, along with a global nuclear nonproliferation regime that is being seriously undermined.

How did President Lee describe new security threats from technology?

Lee said rapidly advancing technologies, including artificial intelligence, have become a source of new and unpredictable security threats. He argued that such challenges cannot be handled by one country alone and called for cooperation based on strong deterrence, international norms and shared resilience.

President Lee vows to pursue peace on Korean Peninsula through dialogue based on firm deterrence

Q: What did President Lee Jae Myung say about South Korea’s approach to North Korea and peace on the Korean Peninsula?

Lee said South Korea will continue efforts to achieve peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity on the Korean Peninsula through trust and dialogue based on firm deterrence. He added that Seoul will expand dialogue through mutual respect and cooperation based on its independent defense capabilities.

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Summary

President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that South Korea will pursue peaceful coexistence with North Korea and shared prosperity on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue based on firm deterrence. He made the remarks in a video message for the opening ceremony of the Seoul Defense Dialogue, calling for stronger security cooperation amid complex international security challenges. Lee also said rapidly advancing technologies such as AI are creating new, unpredictable security threats and urged a new model of cooperation based on strong deterrence, international norms and shared resilience.

Key Facts

Lee said South Korea will broaden the horizon for dialogue on peace and prosperity through mutual respect and cooperation based on its independent defense capabilities.
He said confrontations and armed conflicts are continuing around the world while the global nuclear nonproliferation regime is being seriously undermined.
Lee described rapidly advancing technologies, including artificial intelligence, as a source of new security threats that are unpredictable.
He called for a new model of security cooperation based on strong deterrence, international norms and shared resilience.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 8, 2026 10:56 am KST

President Lee Jae Myung delivers his speech during a session of the Lumiere Summit in the resort town of Saint-Paul-de-Vence in France, Monday (local time). Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung vowed Tuesday to continue efforts to promote peaceful coexistence with North Korea and mutual prosperity on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue based on "firm deterrence."

Lee made the remarks in a video message for the opening ceremony of the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD), stressing the need for stronger security cooperation amid unprecedented and complex challenges in the international security environment.

"We will unwaveringly continue efforts to achieve peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity on the Korean Peninsula through trust and dialogue based on firm deterrence," Lee said.

He added that South Korea is working to broaden the horizon for dialogue on peace and prosperity through mutual respect and cooperation based on its independent defense capabilities.

"Confrontations and armed conflicts between countries are continuing across the world while the global nuclear nonproliferation regime that has underpinned global peace for decades is also being seriously undermined," he said.

Lee also noted that rapidly advancing technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), have become a source of new security threats that are unpredictable.

He called for a new model of security cooperation based on "strong deterrence, international norms and shared resilience," saying such challenges cannot be addressed by a single country.

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