President Lee Jae-myung called on Friday for officials to make preemptive efforts to reduce tensions with North Korea, saying Seoul needs to patiently seek a path to restore trust with Pyongyang. At a policy briefing by the ministries of foreign affairs and unification, he urged sparing no efforts to proactively ease hostilities between the two sides.
President Lee Jae-myung, on Friday, December 19, 2025, addressed a policy briefing by the ministries of foreign affairs and unification, calling for proactive steps to mitigate tensions with North Korea. He stated, "We must be patient and spare no efforts to preemptively and proactively ease hostilities" between Seoul and Pyongyang. This remark highlights Seoul's intent to patiently pursue trust restoration amid ongoing Korean Peninsula strains. The statement, reported in Yonhap News Agency's summary, signals a long-term approach to resuming dialogue with Pyongyang. Related link: https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251219003900315?section=national/politics.