South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on June 8 affirmed that Seoul should not give up the goal of denuclearizing North Korea, and at the same time rejected South Korea's ability to develop nuclear weapons to cope with Pyongyang's nuclear program.
Speaking at a press conference marking the first anniversary of his inauguration, Mr. Lee said that South Korea cannot pursue the path of possessing nuclear weapons and therefore should not give up the goal of denuclearizing North Korea.
The statement was made in the context of Chinese President Xi Jinping beginning a 2-day visit to Pyongyang. The trip took place after Xi Jinping successively hosted US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, while nuclear talks between North Korea and the US remained deadlocked.
China is currently North Korea's largest trading partner, and also an important source of economic and diplomatic support for this country that is facing many international sanctions.
According to the White House, in a meeting in Beijing last month, Mr. Xi Jinping and Mr. Trump reaffirmed the common goal of denuclearizing North Korea.
However, just before Xi Jinping's visit, Kim Yo Jong - younger sister of leader Kim Jong Un rejected US claims and declared that North Korea's nuclear program is an "unstoppable line".
Meanwhile, Mr. Lee warned that South Korea's development of nuclear weapons could create a chain reaction in the region. According to him, if Seoul pursues military nuclear capabilities, Japan or Taiwan (China) could also make similar decisions, making the entire region a nuclear hotspot.
The South Korean President also emphasized that the country's economy is heavily dependent on exports and it will be difficult to resist severe sanctions from the international community if it violates international rules related to nuclear weapons.
He believes that South Korea cannot survive under sanctions similar to what North Korea is facing.
Regarding dialogue with Pyongyang, Mr. Lee said that denuclearization negotiations should begin with short-term and more realistic goals. One of the immediate priorities is to achieve an order to temporarily suspend the production of more materials to serve the nuclear program.
