Lee Urges U.S.–North Korea Talks at UN, Offers Phased Nuclear Plan

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for U.S.–North Korea talks to resume without delay in a speech to the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22. He said Seoul would act as a pacemaker for dialogue and urged steps toward formally ending the Korean War and building a peace regime. Lee proposed a phased approach to North Korea's nuclear program: first halt further development, then reduce existing capabilities, and ultimately achieve a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. He cited U.S. President Donald Trump's willingness to engage as an opening, but announced no agreed talks.