Key facts
- President Lee Jae Myung believes an "ember of hope" for dialogue with North Korea still exists.
- He reaffirmed commitment to establishing peace and preventing accidental conflicts.
- Lee referenced the 2000 inter-Korean joint statement as a significant moment for peace.
- South Korea has suspended propaganda loudspeaker campaigns toward Pyongyang.
- The administration stated it does not seek unification by absorption or unilateral competition.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stated on Sunday that he believes an "ember of hope" for reviving dialogue and cooperation with North Korea still exists, reaffirming his commitment to peace efforts. Speaking at a special Mass in Rome, Lee referenced the historic 2000 inter-Korean joint statement as a turning point that signaled the possibility of overcoming tensions and opening dialogue.
Lee reiterated his administration's efforts to ease tensions, including the suspension of propaganda loudspeaker campaigns toward Pyongyang. He emphasized that South Korea does not seek unification by absorption or unilateral ideological competition, and plans to continue efforts to prevent accidental conflicts and restore military trust to build a peace system.
Amid escalating international crises, including the Russia-Ukraine war and Middle East conflicts, Lee noted that the Korean Peninsula has also returned to an era of severed dialogue. He expressed gratitude for the Vatican's support for Seoul's peace initiatives, believing that peace on the peninsula could contribute to global peace and vice versa through global solidarity.