Lee Jae Myung pushes phased North Korea denuclearisation at UN

Seoul,UPDATED: Sep 22, 2026 06:44 IST

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has said he will use this week’s UN General Assembly to press for a practical, phased approach to North Korea’s denuclearisation, while stressing that both Seoul and Washington are ready to reopen dialogue with Pyongyang.

Lee said his proposal reflects the reality of North Korea’s advancing nuclear and missile capabilities and comes as Pyongyang has stepped up weapons tests despite US President Donald Trump scaling back a major joint military exercise with South Korea, a move seen as a conciliatory gesture towards North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

In written replies to The Associated Press before leaving for New York on Monday, Lee said, “To change the direction of a moving vehicle, it must be brought to a halt first.” He added, “A phased approach of stop, reduction and dismantlement is a practical way of effectively resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.”

His remarks come amid growing debate over whether North Korea can be denuclearised in a single step. There have been calls for a phased process under which Pyongyang would take gradual steps in return for corresponding economic and political benefits. Trump claimed last month that North Korea has 57 nuclear weapons, while some experts say it may have more than 100 warheads.

Lee said, “Given the extent to which North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities have advanced, it is not a realistic solution to wait until complete denuclearisation can be achieved all at once.” He added, “This is because, in the interim, North Korea’s nuclear capabilities will continue to advance, escalating the threat.” He said he would pursue “a phased and pragmatic solution to the North Korean nuclear issue” at the UN and build on his vision for peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Lee also referred to his recent proposal for talks among the parties concerned to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, saying such discussions could help explore ways to limit North Korea’s nuclear programme. At the same time, there are concerns that a phased process could leave North Korea unwilling to fully give up its nuclear programme after securing benefits such as sanctions relief in return for only partial steps.

On that, Lee called for broad dialogue to create a framework that would benefit South Korea, the United States and North Korea alike. He said it was important to show Pyongyang that “moving toward stable and lasting peace is a realistic and feasible path to a secure and prosperous future”.

It remains unclear, however, whether North Korea is willing to return to talks soon. After Trump, citing a “very good relationship” with Kim, reduced the scale of last month’s Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, North Korea dismissed the outreach and said merely cutting the drill would not change its provocative nature. Pyongyang has since carried out three rounds of weapons launches and issued several statements criticising what it called US hostility. Experts say North Korea is likely seeking larger US concessions.

Lee, who hopes renewed Trump-Kim diplomacy could also reopen inter-Korean talks, called Trump’s move “a deliberate step to send a clear message that the United States has no hostile intent toward North Korea”. He said both South Korea and the US “remain open to engaging in dialogue with North Korea without preconditions”. He added, “What is needed now is a political decision at the leaders’ level. The two leaders should build trust and work together to identify a common ground, face-to-face.”

Trump’s social media announcement on reducing the exercise came without prior consultation with South Korea and also referred to what he described as Lee’s refusal to join the US in the “denuclearisation” of Iran, prompting concern over the alliance. Lee acknowledged that Trump’s decision came “somewhat unexpectedly”, but said he preferred to focus on its broader purpose. He said Trump had shown a commitment to creating conditions for dialogue and that he shared the aim of reducing confrontation on the Korean Peninsula.

Lee said the strategic interests of South Korea and the US are closely linked across many areas and that he wants to build a more mutually beneficial partnership during the rest of Trump’s term. As one example, he pointed to planned cooperation in shipbuilding, saying it could help revive US shipbuilding and naval strength while also creating new growth opportunities for South Korean companies.

On Friday, Lee said he would not allow South Korea’s military to be drawn into the US-Iran conflict. He said his government was considering expanding the role of a naval unit deployed in the Gulf of Aden to protect South Korean vessels and oil shipping routes. He was also expected to meet Trump on the sidelines of the UN meeting.

Lee said the UN-led multilateral system is facing serious strain from intensifying geopolitical conflict and is failing to keep pace with shared challenges such as the climate crisis and the unintended effects of the AI revolution. Calling for reforms, he said duplication and inefficiency within the organisation must be addressed and that greater authority should be given to personnel in the field so that crises can be handled quickly and effectively.

During the General Assembly, Lee said he would also present South Korea’s efforts to widen the benefits of AI and urge other countries to join that push. Asked about the teenage daughter of the 42-year-old North Korean leader, Lee said his government had noted “her rising status” and was keeping all possibilities open, but added, “I believe we have to be careful about expressing a definite view at this stage.” His remarks differ from repeated assessments by South Korea’s spy agency, which has described her as Kim’s likely successor, a view some experts dispute because of North Korea’s male-dominated power structure.

In sum, Lee heads to the UN seeking support for phased denuclearisation talks with North Korea, while also signalling continued coordination with Washington, proposed reforms to the UN system and South Korea’s wider agenda on AI and regional security.

With PTI Inputs

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