President Lee Myung-bak said on Monday that his administration will support the resumption of talks between North and South Korea. At a luncheon meeting with reporters at Cheong Wa Dae, President Lee said he hopes that North Korea will respond to South Korea's offer to hold high-level talks. He also expressed hope that the United States and North Korea will resume talks. President Lee added that South Korea is a party to the Six-Party Talks aimed at resolving the North Korean nuclear issue. He also said that South and North Korea should resolve the issue through dialogue. The President emphasized that South Korea will not deviate from its principle of seeking a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He also expressed hope for a summit with North Korea. President Lee said he will do his best to help the two Koreas hold a summit. He also said that he will meet with US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Hawaii to discuss the North Korean issue.
President Jeameong Lee declared on the 27th that South Korea supports both North-South dialogue and the resumption of North-South talks, acting as the mediator and peace-maker of the Korean Peninsula. Lee made this statement during the '2026 International Korean Peninsula Forum (GKF)' ceremony held at the Western Joseon Hotel in Seoul.
The ceremony was presided over by Vice-Chairman of the National Security Agency, Im Yong-sun. The President revisited the 'Inclusive Peace Coexistence, Stable Peace Coexistence, and Responsible Peace Coexistence' solution announced on Korea's Victory Day, emphasizing that inclusively coexisting with mutual respect between North and South Korea without the need for any compromise or cooperation should be the goal.
He stated that despite North Korea's persistent adversarial stance, it should not be considered a reason to cease efforts towards Korean Peninsula peace. Lee stressed the need for a delicate balance, acknowledging that the path to peace is not always smooth, and a committed effort and active engagement are required to find a way forward.
He also highlighted the importance of meaningful dialogue and cooperation as opposed to traditional approaches that focus solely on complete denuclearization.
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