[New York = E-Daily Reporter Kim Sang-yoon ] The core of President Lee Jae-myung’s vision for the Korean Peninsula, presented at the UN General Assembly, lies not in abandoning denuclearization but in changing the sequence of steps leading to it. It is a pragmatic, phased approach that departs from the existing stance—which held that dialogue and compensation were only possible after North Korea completely dismantled its nuclear weapons—by first halting the further advancement of its nuclear and missile capabilities, then proceeding through a process of reduction toward a “nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.”
This approach is based on the assessment that, given North Korea has effectively secured capabilities on par with those of a nuclear-armed state, insisting on complete denuclearization as a precondition for negotiations would make it difficult to achieve any progress. President Lee had previously outlined this vision in interviews with The New York Times (NYT) and the Associated Press (AP), stating that halting North Korea’s nuclear and missile development should serve as the starting point, leading to reduction and eventual dismantlement. Through his speech at the UN General Assembly, he has effectively formalized this as the government’s policy toward North Korea before the international community.

◇Discussing denuclearization alongside an end to the war and the normalization of relations
In his keynote address at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly held at the UN Headquarters in New York, U.S., on the 22nd (local time), President Lee stated, “Above all, the most critical task is to end the long-standing war on the Korean Peninsula and establish a peace regime.”
He emphasized, “The Republic of Korea will work to lay the groundwork for the swift resumption of U.S.-North Korea dialogue—which has been stalled for a long time—and for it to evolve into direct talks among the parties involved aimed at ending the war on the Korean Peninsula and transitioning to a peace regime.”
The core of the solution proposed by President Lee lies in changing the sequence leading to denuclearization. He said, “First, we must halt North Korea’s advancement of its nuclear and missile capabilities; in the medium term, we can move toward a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula through a process of reduction.”
While maintaining denuclearization as the ultimate goal, this vision moves away from the approach that dialogue and compensation are only possible after North Korea completely dismantles all its nuclear weapons. Instead, it aims to first halt further expansion of nuclear capabilities and then induce their phased reduction. It also implies that negotiations on North Korea’s nuclear program will not be limited to denuclearization alone but will be pursued in tandem with ending the war, normalizing U.S.-North Korea relations, establishing a peace regime, and fostering multilateral cooperation in Northeast Asia.
President Lee presented three blueprints for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula: “Inclusive Peaceful Coexistence,” in which the North and South seek mutual growth while respecting each other’s systems and acknowledging their differences; “Stable Peaceful Coexistence,” which involves restoring communication channels to manage crises and conflicts; and “Responsible Peaceful Coexistence,” which goes beyond a nuclear- and war-free Korean Peninsula to contribute to peace in Northeast Asia and the world.
President Lee stated, “We will respect North Korea on the international stage and cooperate where possible,” expressing his intention to open avenues for cooperation in areas such as public health, disaster response, and climate crises. This approach is interpreted as prioritizing the restoration of institutional mechanisms for conflict prevention and peaceful coexistence over immediate reunification or comprehensive denuclearization.
President Lee also recalled that North and South Korea joined the United Nations simultaneously 35 years ago. He assessed that their simultaneous accession at that time served as a turning point in moving beyond the competition and confrontation that had persisted since the division, laying the foundation for peaceful coexistence, and requested that the United Nations and the Security Council once again play a responsible and constructive role in the process of establishing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
In an interview with The New York Times released prior to his UN speech, he also outlined specific conditions for exchange necessary for a phased approach. President Lee stated, “There is considerable value in exchanging sanctions—which are not particularly effective anyway—for a halt to the development of additional nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) technology.”
The plan involves first freezing North Korea’s nuclear and missile development in exchange for a partial easing of sanctions, then building trust through mutual incentives and concessions, and finally progressing toward the reduction and dismantlement of nuclear weapons. President Lee also pointed out the limitations of the existing approach, stating, “In the current situation, setting denuclearization as the goal is a guarantee that nothing will be achieved.”
Underlying this vision is a sense of urgency that North Korea’s nuclear capabilities must be prevented from advancing further before they reach a level that is difficult to reverse through negotiations. President Lee also cited government estimates suggesting that North Korea may have the capacity to produce an additional 10 to 20 nuclear weapons annually—or may already be doing so. He also expressed concern that if North Korea determines it has secured sufficient nuclear weapons and missiles, it may attempt to export them.

◇If Trump Opens Dialogue, South Korea Will Be the ‘Pacesetter’
Another pillar of the phased denuclearization plan is U.S. President Donald Trump. In his UN speech, President Lee assessed that “President Trump’s recent decision” has paved the way for change. In an interview with the New York Times, he also expressed the view that President Trump is the only leader capable of bringing North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un back to the negotiating table.
The strategy is that if President Trump uses his personal relationship with Chairman Kim to resume U.S.-North Korea dialogue, South Korea will serve as a “pace-setter” to link this to denuclearization, an end to the war, and the establishment of a peace regime. President Lee stated, “As a key player and pace-setter for peace on the Korean Peninsula, our government will spare no effort to open and sustain the path to dialogue.”
The key lies in North Korea’s response and policy coordination between South Korea and the United States. North Korea defines inter-Korean relations as a “hostile relationship between two states” and has excluded South Korea from dialogue. With North Korea strengthening its ties with Russia and China, there is also a possibility that Chairman Kim will demand more favorable terms than in the past. It was reported that North Korean diplomats were not present during President Lee’s speech that day.
The scope of the nuclear freeze, the verification methods, and the types and timing of sanctions relief to be provided in response to North Korea’s measures must also be specified. Another challenge is to address concerns that a nuclear freeze could become a final destination—effectively recognizing North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons—rather than an intermediate step toward denuclearization.
President Lee concluded that even if the conditions for negotiations have worsened compared to the past, there is no realistic alternative to diplomacy. It appears that President Trump’s resumption of U.S.-North Korea dialogue and North Korea’s response by halting further nuclear development are necessary for the vision of “halting advancement → reduction → a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula” to gain momentum.