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🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Lee Jae Myung Says Trump’s ‘Resolve’ Has Opened Door to Change on Korean Peninsula

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • President Lee Jae Myung said South Korea should help rebuild trust and revive dialogue between North Korea and the United States.
  • Lee credited U.S. President Donald Trump’s resolve with creating a limited possibility for change on the Korean Peninsula.
  • He reaffirmed plans to pursue a peace regime and regain wartime operational control of South Korean forces from a U.S. commander.

President Lee Jae Myung says Donald Trump’s resolve has opened, however slightly, the possibility of change on the Korean Peninsula. He urged South Korea to help create the conditions for constructive talks and renewed trust between North Korea and the United States.

President Trump’s resolve has opened the door, however slightly, to the possibility of change on the Korean Peninsula.

· Lee Jae MyungLee credited Trump’s approach with creating a limited opening for change.

Speaking at a policy dialogue on peaceful coexistence in Incheon, Lee said the two Koreas should be closer than anyone else but remain completely cut off after more than 80 years of division. “This wall has been built up over more than 80 years. It won’t come down simply by waiting. That’s why we must act,” he said.

This wall has been built up over more than 80 years. It won’t come down simply by waiting. That’s why we must act.

· Lee Jae MyungLee described the prolonged separation between North and South Korea.

Lee also cautioned against rushing the process. “We shouldn’t rush, we must move forward with a clear sense of where we’re headed,” he said. He repeated a three-part vision for peaceful coexistence that he presented in his Aug. 15 Liberation Day address: coexistence based on mutual respect, a stable peace that removes the need for conflict, and responsible coexistence that contributes to global peace.

We shouldn’t rush, we must move forward with a clear sense of where we’re headed.

· Lee Jae MyungLee warned against advancing too quickly in efforts to revive dialogue.

The president called for transforming the armistice system, which he described as rooted in confrontation and conflict, into a peace regime that could support cooperation and prosperity. He also renewed his commitment to recovering wartime operational control of the South Korean military, which is currently held by an American commander. “Peace on the Korean Peninsula is bigger than us. It’s a critical task for stability in Northeast Asia and, more broadly, for world peace,” Lee said. “As a direct stakeholder in this momentous task, we will fulfill our responsibility by recovering OPCON.”

As a direct stakeholder in this momentous task, we will fulfill our responsibility by recovering OPCON.

· Lee Jae MyungLee reaffirmed his commitment to regaining wartime operational control.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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