South Korea’s President Lee vows to end state of war, pursue nuclear-free Korean Peninsula

President Lee Jae Myung on December 2 vowed to end the state of war between the two Koreas and pursue a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, adding that efforts to establish lasting peace will continue.

“Our goal is to end the state of war on the Korean Peninsula and pursue a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula,” Lee said during his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 22nd Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, held at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi on December 2.

“Attempting nuclear armament, as the North has done, while enduring massive international sanctions, is unrealistic,” Lee said. “Our own nuclear armament would also violate the principle of a peaceful, nonnuclear Korean Peninsula.”

President Lee also referenced U.S. President Donald Trump, saying, “Trump officially stated during the Korea-U.S. summit that he would work toward resolving the state of war on the Korean Peninsula. Based on this shared understanding, we will cooperate with the United States to establish peace on the peninsula.”

“As a ‘pacemaker,’ we will actively support dialogue between North Korea and the United States and consult with other relevant nations,” he further said.

“When inter-Korean relations spiral into confrontation and conflict, the lives of our people become unstable, and politics, the economy and democracy are all threatened,” Lee continued. “An unresolved state of war and the division of the peninsula hinder democratic and political development and hold back economic growth.”

The president also criticized certain political forces for exploiting division to suppress democracy and manipulate domestic politics.

“There was even a dangerous attempt to provoke war as a pretext for martial law,” he said, referring to allegations that former President Yoon Suk Yeol conspired to manufacture a national security crisis by staging a drone infiltration into Pyongyang to justify declaring martial law. “Ending the war, overcoming division and securing lasting peace is the path to completing our democracy.”

“Although inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation are currently cut off, if we act with sincerity and extend our hand first — with patience and determination — the North’s stance can also change,” Lee said. “By transforming the cost of division driven by hostility into a peace-based engine for growth, we can turn the so-called Korea risk into a Korea premium.”

He emphasized that “rather than winning through conflict, building a strong peace — a state in which there is no need to fight — is the best choice for both Koreas.”

Lee expressed regret that past inter-Korean agreements were not implemented and that hostilities had intensified, saying, “Restoring inter-Korean dialogue is an essential condition for opening a future of peaceful coexistence.”

“Restarting inter-Korean dialogue, which has been suspended for seven years, will serve as a new starting point for peace and coexistence on the peninsula,” he said.

To that end, he proposed restoring communication channels between the two Koreas as a first step toward resuming open and candid talks.

Lee also said the government would promote cooperation for “shared growth” between the South and North.

“We will look for mutually beneficial solutions where peace and the economy form a virtuous cycle, and work toward a path of joint growth for both Koreas,” he said.

BY KIM EUN-BIN [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]