South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has called for easing sanctions on North Korea, proposing a deal to halt further nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile technology development in exchange for relaxed international penalties. In an interview published on 21/9, President Lee stated, "Exchanging sanctions, which are not particularly effective, for a halt in further development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile technology would be significantly valuable."

President Lee argued that despite the potential difficulty in accepting such a "sanctions-for-nuclear-freeze" agreement, the world currently lacks other practical options. He believes that pursuing complete denuclearization under present circumstances "will certainly yield no results." Previously, Mr. Lee considered freezing Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities at their current level—by suspending new production and preventing North Korea from importing nuclear materials—to be "a step forward."

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in Santiago, Chile on 30/7. *Photo: AFP*

During the interview, President Lee expressed confidence that US President Donald Trump possesses a unique ability to bring North Korean leader Kim Jong-un back to the negotiating table. South Korean officials believe Mr. Trump offers the best opportunity for the North Korean leader to sign a peace treaty for the Korean War, a conflict that has never officially ended, and normalize relations with Washington.

Since taking office in 6/2025, President Lee has adopted a more conciliatory approach, reversing the hardline stance of his predecessor, Yoon Suk-yeol. He has proposed unconditional dialogue with Pyongyang; however, the North Korean leader has not yet responded to his offer.

North Korea has codified its status as a nuclear weapons state, despite years of United Nations sanctions. Its leaders have also repeatedly declared their nuclear weapons capabilities irreversible.

Huyen Le (According to AFP, NY Times)