Lee: "Insisting on North Korean Denuclearization Gets Us Nowhere"... Stresses 'Nuclear Freeze–Sanctions Relief' Approach

President Lee's Interview with The New York Times
"Only Trump Can Bring Kim Jong Un Back to the Table"
Presents Vision for Peace and Coexistence at the United Nations
"North Korea May Produce 10 to 20 More Nuclear Warheads Annually"
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President Lee Jae-myung has proposed a phased solution for North Korea, prioritizing a freeze on the development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and easing sanctions in return, instead of making North Korea’s complete denuclearization the immediate goal of negotiations. He reiterated that if negotiations remain fixated only on the ultimate goal of denuclearization while North Korea’s nuclear capabilities continue to advance, it would be difficult for talks to resume at all. President Lee also assessed U.S. President Donald Trump as the only leader capable of bringing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un back to the negotiating table, expressing hopes for a resumption of U.S.-North Korea talks.

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung greet welcome guests aboard Air Force One upon their arrival at New York JFK International Airport on the 21st (local time). 2026.9.22 Yonhap News Agency

The New York Times reported on the 21st (local time) the contents of a roughly 70-minute interview with President Lee at the Blue House on September 18, 2026. President Lee stated, "I believe it is of considerable value to exchange the suspension of nuclear weapon and ICBM development, in return for easing ineffective sanctions." His vision is that North Korea should first halt its nuclear development, and then, through reciprocal measures and concessions that build trust, progress toward reducing its nuclear arsenal. Ultimately, the aim is to create an environment where North Korea judges that its regime can be guaranteed security even without nuclear weapons, paving the way to denuclearization.

President Lee drew a clear line against insisting on immediate denuclearization. He remarked, "If denuclearization is made the goal under the current circumstances, it is guaranteed that nothing will be achieved." The intention is not to abandon the ultimate goal of denuclearization, but to use an intermediate stage of 'freeze-reduction-denuclearization' as the starting point for negotiations.

The New York Times analyzed that the geopolitical landscape surrounding North Korea has fundamentally shifted following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and U.S. actions in Iran. Russia and China have once again embraced North Korea as a strategic partner. In particular, North Korea’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, through the provision of troops and weapons, has served to further strengthen North Korea–Russia ties.

President Lee warned that if the current situation is left unchecked, the North Korean nuclear threat could intensify. "We estimate that North Korea is either already producing or has the capability to produce an additional 10 to 20 nuclear weapons per year," he said, adding that if North Korea concludes it has amassed sufficient nuclear warheads and missiles, it may be tempted to sell them abroad to generate revenue. He stressed, "That is when the situation becomes truly dangerous."

President Lee identified President Trump as the key to breaking the current deadlock. He believes that President Trump could use his personal rapport with Kim Jong Un to restart U.S.–North Korea negotiations. Citing South Korean government officials, the New York Times reported that President Trump could realistically offer Kim Jong Un the opportunity to formally conclude the Korean War, which has remained unresolved since the 1953 armistice, and normalize relations with the United States.

President Trump, for his part, has also repeatedly expressed his intention to resume personal diplomacy with Kim Jong Un. However, analysts point out that the three rounds of U.S.–North Korea summits during his first administration did not yield a denuclearization agreement, and Kim Jong Un is now negotiating from a much stronger position than before. The new circumstances include the restoration of North Korea’s relationships with Russia and China and the renewed growth in North Korea’s economy, making the current situation markedly different from the past, when Kim Jong Un had an urgent need for an agreement with the United States.

President Lee plans to directly explain his vision for the Korean Peninsula to the international community in New York. He will outline his vision for peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, 2026.

President Lee Jae-myung is greeting Kang Kyung-wha, Ambassador to the US, who came to welcome him at JFK International Airport in New York, USA, on the 21st (local time). September 22, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Additionally, the New York Times reported that, along with the North Korean nuclear issue, President Lee is also facing trade and security challenges with President Trump. The report highlighted that negotiations between South Korea and the United States are accelerating regarding the fulfillment of the 350 billion dollar investment in the United States agreed upon by the two countries' leaders last year. At that time, South Korea agreed to invest 350 billion dollars in the United States in exchange for a U.S. commitment to lower tariffs on Korean-made goods.

Citing knowledgeable officials, the New York Times reported that South Korea may propose building a gas power plant in Texas and constructing eight nuclear power plants across the United States as measures to persuade President Trump. This demonstrates that last-minute coordination on the specific terms of the investment is underway between the two sides.

Regarding this, President Lee emphasized that he is not swayed by President Trump’s recent criticisms on various issues. President Lee stated, "I fully understand that, as the President of the United States, he is bound to make a variety of remarks."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.