South Korean President Urges North Korea Talks, Calls For "Peace Regime"

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday called for renewed talks with North Korea and urged both sides to pursue peaceful coexistence, saying the Korean Peninsula needs a lasting peace regime to replace the armistice that has kept the two Koreas technically at war for more than seven decades. Speaking during a speech marking the anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, Lee said Seoul would seek safeguards to prevent conflict and take sustained steps to reduce tensions. His appeal comes as relations between Seoul and Pyongyang remain deeply strained, with previous efforts to reopen dialogue failing to produce a breakthrough.

Lee urged North Korea and other concerned parties to begin discussions aimed at formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. He said dialogue could also address practical measures to limit North Korea's nuclear capabilities while creating conditions for greater stability on the peninsula. According to Lee, South Korea would pursue a phased approach focused on reducing the possibility of accidental or deliberate escalation. He also called for multiple layers of safeguards to contain tensions and prevent disagreements between the two sides from developing into a wider military confrontation.

The South Korean president's proposal largely builds on his previous commitment to respect North Korea's political system and seek peaceful coexistence rather than pursuing immediate reunification. However, Pyongyang has shown little interest in Seoul's engagement efforts. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has abandoned his country's previous reunification policy, increasingly describing South Korea as its most hostile state and ordering stronger military preparations along the border. The change in North Korea's position has made efforts to restore inter-Korean dialogue significantly more difficult and has contributed to a prolonged period of heightened tensions.

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North Korea has also rejected several recent overtures from Seoul and criticised South Korea's defence policies. Pyongyang has objected to Seoul's plans involving nuclear-powered submarines and has repeatedly condemned joint military exercises conducted by South Korea and the United States. North Korea considers the drills provocative and has frequently responded to them with military demonstrations and weapons tests. Seoul, meanwhile, has maintained that its military cooperation with Washington is necessary to deter North Korean aggression and strengthen its ability to respond to potential security threats.

Lee said South Korea would nevertheless continue pursuing measures to ease tensions and establish mechanisms capable of preventing escalation. His proposal comes amid broader concerns over North Korea's expanding nuclear and missile capabilities and the absence of sustained communication channels between the two governments. Any move toward a formal peace arrangement would require negotiations involving the key parties to the Korean War and would face major disagreements over security guarantees, North Korea's nuclear programme and the long-term military presence of the United States in South Korea.

On relations with Japan, Lee also called for a forward-looking approach while acknowledging the difficult history between the two countries. He said South Korea should confront unresolved issues from the past while working with Japan as a close neighbour on future challenges. Lee expressed hope that the two countries could begin a new period of six decades marked by peace and prosperity. His comments came as Seoul seeks to strengthen regional cooperation while simultaneously pursuing dialogue with Pyongyang, balancing historical disputes and security concerns in an increasingly tense East Asian environment.

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