{
  "id": 9478409,
  "title": "South Korea has ‘pragmatic’ plan for phased denuclearisation. But will North bite?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/south-korea-has-pragmatic-plan-for-phased-denuclearisation-but-will",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-24T03:23:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3368586/south-korea-has-pragmatic-plan-phased-denuclearisation-will-north-bite"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has proposed a phased approach to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, describing it as a pragmatic response, but gaining acceptance from Pyongyang remains uncertain. In a UN General Assembly speech, Lee outlined a step-by-step sequence to achieve North Korea's denuclearisation, seeking sanctions relief from the US in return for the country stopping its nuclear program. He urged a peace protocol involving all key regional players, including the US and China. However, experts doubt North Korea's willingness to accept such conditions, given its significant nuclear capabilities and refusal to halt its nuclear activities.",
  "summary": "South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has proposed a phased approach to North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, aiming for denuclearisation. According to the South China Morning Post, this is seen as a pragmatic response by analysts.\n\nThe proposal was made in a keynote speech to the UN General Assembly. However, North Korea's foreign minister, Choe Son-hui, was quoted by The Korea Times as saying that North Korea's nuclear status is irreversible and that denuclearisation efforts will only harden the country's stance.\n\nSeparately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, captured in Russia's Kursk region, as mentioned by the Winnipeg Free Press and Jerusalem Post.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Meet TWS, the rising K-pop boy group whose debut song became a streaming sensation in South Korea",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/meet-tws-the-rising-k-pop-boy-group-whose-debut-song-became-a",
        "published": "2026-09-23T23:33:44.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "US turns to South Korea to ease ammunition bottlenecks amid global conflicts",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/us-turns-to-south-korea-to-ease-ammunition-bottlenecks-amid-global",
        "published": "2026-09-24T00:00:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Asia Times",
        "title": "South Korea should not apply double standard to inherited political guilt",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/south-korea-should-not-apply-double-standard-to-inherited-political",
        "published": "2026-09-24T02:05:17.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}