President Lee Unveils 'Inclusive, Stable, Responsible' Blueprints for Korean Peninsula Peaceful Coexistence at UN... Urges Swift Resumption of Dialogue

Three Blueprints Presented to the International Community
"Ending the Korean War and Establishing a Peace Regime Are Key"
Reaffirms: "Halt North Korea's Nuclear and Missile Programs → Reduction → Nuclear-Free Korean Peninsula"
"Korea as Both a Direct Party and Pacemaker for Peace on the Peninsula"
Urges Cooperation and a Constructive Role from the UN and Security Council

On the 22nd (local time), President Lee Jae-myung presented "inclusive, stable, and responsible coexistence" as the three key blueprints for peace on the Korean Peninsula during his address to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. His vision is to start with mutual respect for each other's systems in the North and South, establish mechanisms to control crises and conflicts, and expand peace on the Korean Peninsula into stability for Northeast Asia and the world. President Lee identified ending the war on the Korean Peninsula and establishing a peace regime as core priorities, and called for the prompt resumption of stalled dialogues involving North Korea and the United States.

President Lee Jae-myung is delivering a keynote speech at the United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York, USA, on the 22nd (local time). 2026.9.23 Yonhap News Agency

During his keynote speech at the 81st UN General Assembly held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, President Lee declared, "I wish to present three blueprints for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula to the international community," adding, "We will pursue joint growth through cooperation on the foundation of mutual respect and recognition of differences between the North and South."

He proposed "inclusive coexistence for peace and mutual respect" as the first vision. The plan is to begin restoring inter-Korean relations by acknowledging the differences between their systems and recognizing each other as partners in coexistence, rather than targets for change or absorption. President Lee stated, "We will seek joint growth through cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and recognizing our differences," and emphasized, "On the international stage, we will also respect North Korea and cooperate wherever cooperation is possible." He also expressed his intent to expand the scope of cooperation into areas less affected by political and military conflict, such as health, disaster management, and climate crisis.

The second vision he put forth was "stable coexistence for peace." Instead of waiting for dialogue outcomes, the focus is on restoring mechanisms to prevent military miscalculation or accidental clashes from escalating into a full-scale crisis. President Lee stated, "We will establish institutional mechanisms to prevent crises and control conflict," and noted, "Restoring basic channels of communication and building trust is the first step toward stable coexistence." This demonstrates his intention to revive severed communication and contact channels between the two Koreas and to restore at least a minimum basis for crisis management.

Third, he discussed "responsible coexistence for peace, contributing to world peace." President Lee's vision is to ensure that easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula is not limited to the peninsula itself, but is extended to the stability and peace of Northeast Asia and the global community. He stated, "Beyond a war-free, nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, we will actively participate in efforts for the stability and cooperation of Northeast Asia, and toward a world free from war and conflict."

To achieve this, he stressed that not only the two Koreas, but also the United States, China, and other related parties must engage in dialogue. President Lee said, "Above all, the most critical challenge is to end the longstanding war on the Korean Peninsula and to establish a peace regime," adding, "For a long time, not only North and South Korea but also the United States, China, and other related countries have agreed on and discussed the need for this. Fortunately, President Trump's recent decision has, albeit with difficulty, made the possibility of change possible."

In regard to the North Korean nuclear issue, he made clear his approach would be step-by-step. President Lee stated, "First, we must halt North Korea's advancement of nuclear and missile capabilities. Then, through a phase of reduction in the medium term, we can ultimately advance toward a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula in the long term." Instead of demanding North Korea's complete denuclearization all at once, his plan is to first stop further advancements in nuclear and missile capabilities, follow with reductions, and ultimately approach a "nuclear-free Korean Peninsula" over time. By officially introducing this "halt-reduction-elimination" phased approach to the international community, President Lee has formalized what he has repeatedly highlighted in recent interviews with foreign media, ahead of the UN General Assembly.

In an earlier interview with the Associated Press, President Lee explained the necessity of a phased approach by comparing it to "stopping a moving car before changing its direction." In his interview with The New York Times, he also acknowledged the value in a plan that would exchange a relaxation of sanctions on North Korea for a halt in the development of additional nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The view is to maintain the ultimate goal on the North Korean nuclear issue, but to break through the deadlock with a gradual, step-by-step approach.

President Lee stated, "Our government, as both a direct party and pacemaker for peace on the Korean Peninsula, will do everything possible to open and sustain the path to dialogue." Reminding the audience that 35 years ago, both North and South Korea joined the UN simultaneously, turning the relationship away from confrontation toward peaceful coexistence, he called on the UN and the Security Council to play a "responsible and constructive role."

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