South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has put forward a significant shift in his country's approach to North Korea, calling on the United States to accept a freeze of Pyongyang's nuclear programme in exchange for easing international sanctions — abandoning the longstanding demand for complete denuclearisation that has defined Seoul's policy for decades. Lee outlined the proposal in an interview with the New York Times and with the Associated Press on Monday, ahead of a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York where he is expected to elaborate on his vision for "peaceful coexistence" on the Korean Peninsula.

For decades, South Korea, the United States and Japan have insisted on the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear arsenal as a precondition for any meaningful diplomatic engagement. Lee now argues that this position is no longer realistic. "Seeking denuclearisation under current circumstances," he warned, "is a guarantee that nothing will be achieved." Instead, he proposes a phased approach: first, a halt to new nuclear weapons development and intercontinental ballistic missile technology; then a broader dialogue built on reciprocal incentives and concessions; and ultimately a peace treaty formally ending the Korean War, which concluded only with an armistice in 1953 and has never been resolved by a formal peace agreement. The end goal, in Lee's view, would be to create conditions in which Pyongyang feels secure enough to eventually relinquish its nuclear arsenal altogether.

The proposal rests on three assessments: that existing UN Security Council sanctions have not succeeded in curbing North Korea's weapons programmes; that Pyongyang is no longer as isolated as it once was, having deepened ties with Russia and China — particularly after leader Kim Jong-un sent troops and weapons to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine; and that North Korea's arsenal is growing rapidly. Lee estimates the country is now producing between ten and twenty additional nuclear weapons per year. "When it believes it has accumulated enough nuclear weapons and missiles to ensure its survival, it will be tempted to export them for money," he cautioned. "That will be a truly dangerous moment."

Lee also expressed hope that US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly expressed a desire to revive personal diplomacy with Kim Jong-un, could be the key to bringing North Korea back to the negotiating table. South Korean officials believe Trump — who held three summits with Kim during his first term, none of which produced a denuclearisation agreement — retains a unique channel to the North Korean leader. Conservative critics in South Korea, however, dismiss the freeze-for-sanctions-relief formula as naive, arguing it would allow Pyongyang to walk away from talks at any point without making meaningful concessions.

The proposal comes as Lee navigates a complex domestic and international environment. His approval ratings have fallen sharply since April amid public frustration over rising property prices and a stock market decline. He is also managing trade tensions with Washington and has faced public criticism from Trump after declining to support US military action against Iran, citing South Korea's constitutional constraints. The geopolitical backdrop has also hardened: North Korea has demolished roads and railways that once connected the two Koreas and installed minefields along the heavily fortified border, while drawing closer to both Moscow and Beijing. Despite these pressures, Lee insists the current impasse is simply too dangerous to maintain. "No matter how unpleasant the deal may seem," he said, "the world has no realistic alternative."