Seoul, Sep 22 (UNI) South Korea’s president has said 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 of 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, reports BBC.
As previous attempts to negotiate have failed, 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 Jae Myung said.
President Lee, who entered office in June, wants to establish peaceful relations with North Korea and reduce tensions, which flared under his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached for trying to impose martial law last year.
The South Korean leader has been vocal about wanting President Trump to resume nuclear talks with Kim, which broke down in 2019 during Trump’s first term, after the US asked the North to dismantle its nuclear facilities.
