South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has called on the United States to ease sanctions on North Korea in exchange for Pyongyang agreeing to freeze its nuclear weapons development at its current level, warning that the present stalemate carries risks too high to leave unattended. The New York Times reported on September 22, citing an interview with the South Korean leader, in which he said a trade-off between sanctions that are already largely ineffective and North Korea halting further development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile technology is extremely valuable and worthwhile. President Lee argued that aiming for immediate denuclearization under current circumstances is simply unachievable, but that if an agreement to freeze the nuclear program can first be reached, both sides can gradually build trust through incentives and reciprocal compromise, which would ultimately make it possible to persuade North Korea to reduce its nuclear arsenal. The South Korean leader warned that the current deadlock is fraught with risk, citing South Korean security assessments that North Korea may be adding 10 to 20 nuclear warheads to its capability or production capacity each year, and cautioned that if North Korea becomes convinced it has accumulated enough nuclear weapons and missiles to guarantee its survival, it may consider exporting these weapons to raise money for the country, which would be a truly dangerous moment. South Korea's presidential office disclosed that the government is shifting its policy direction from the principle of "denuclearization first" to an approach of "peace first." Since taking office last year, President Lee has expressed his intention to respect North Korea's regime and to pursue peaceful coexistence. However, relations between the two Koreas remain deadlocked after Kim Jong-un, North Korea's supreme leader, declared an abandonment of the policy of national reunification, stated that South Korea is the number one hostile state, and ordered a heavy buildup of defensive forces along the border front line. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is pushing for a new round of summit talks with Kim Jong-un, which the South Korean leader said he is ready and willing to support. President Lee is scheduled to present his vision for peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula to the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.
