President Lee Jae-myung has stated that sanctions against North Korea need to be eased in exchange for Pyongyang agreeing to freeze its weapons programs.

In an interview with The New York Times (NYT) published on September 21, local time, President Lee, who is visiting New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, said, "Exchanging sanctions against North Korea, which are not very effective, for a halt to its additional development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) is of considerable value."

In the interview, President Lee warned that if North Korea's nuclear weapons development continues to the point where sales take place, it would mark a "truly dangerous moment."

He pointed out, "According to our estimates, North Korea has the capability to produce 10 to 20 additional nuclear weapons each year, or may already be doing so," adding, "Once North Korea believes it has accumulated enough nuclear weapons and missiles to ensure its survival, it will be tempted to export them to make money."

In a written interview with the Associated Press (AP) released around the same time, President Lee emphasized a realistic approach to North Korea's denuclearization and related issues.

"Considering how advanced North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities have become, waiting until complete denuclearization can be achieved all at once is not a realistic solution," President Lee explained, adding, "Because in the meantime, North Korea's nuclear capabilities will continue to advance, and the threat will grow even greater."

Regarding U.S. President Donald Trump expressing his intention to resume dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang through measures such as scaling back joint South Korea-U.S. military drills, he interpreted it as "an intentional step to send a clear message that the United States has no hostile intent toward North Korea."

President Lee is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the UN General Assembly on the afternoon of September 22, local time, where he is expected to present a step-by-step, pragmatic solution to the North Korean nuclear issue and an initiative to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.

(Photo: Yonhap News)