South Korea Welcomes Potential Trump-Kim Agreement to Halt North Korea's Nuclear Advancements

Tue Oct 21 2025 06:38:38 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a recent interview, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed support for a deal that would see North Korea freeze its nuclear weapons production, highlighting the urgent need for new diplomatic approaches amid escalating tensions.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stated that he would accept a Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un agreement to freeze North Korea's nuclear weapons production. Lee emphasized that freezing nuclear development could serve as a realistic, interim measure while maintaining the long-term goal of denuclearization. He acknowledged the complexities of negotiating with Pyongyang, given its declaration as a nuclear power in 2022 and the breakdown of previous negotiations. Amid uncertain global alliances, Lee aims to balance relations with the U.S. and China to foster regional peace.

South Korea's president has stated that he would accept a deal between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un under which North Korea would agree to freeze production of its nuclear weapons for now, rather than get rid of them.

Lee Jae Myung told the BBC that North Korea was producing an additional 15-20 nuclear weapons a year, and a freeze as an interim emergency measure would be a feasible, realistic alternative.

North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2022 and vowed to never relinquish its weapons. Previous attempts to negotiate have failed, and Pyongyang has since rejected all invitations to return to talks.

So long as we do not give up on the long-term goal of denuclearisation, I believe there are clear benefits to having North Korea stop its nuclear and missile development, Lee stated. He further emphasized the need to weigh the significance of realistic goals against a complete denuclearisation that could be contentious.

President Lee, who entered office in June, hopes to establish peaceful relations with North Korea and reduce escalating tensions that flared under his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, who faced political backlash for his hardline stance.

Despite recent challenges, including a standoff regarding North Korea's nuclear ambitions and complex relations with China and Russia, Lee seeks a pragmatic path forward.

By taking a stance that prioritizes dialogue and trust-building measures, Lee has expressed cautious optimism toward a possible re-engagement between Trump and Kim, stating, They seem to have a degree of mutual trust, which could benefit South Korea and international peace.

The context of his remarks comes ahead of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, where his presidency of the UN Security Council is expected to weigh heavily on these ongoing tensions.