Lee Jae-myung "Trump talks about Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, but weapon support? ... Is he trying to fight with the US?"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 29th mentioned the possibility of North Korea-U.S. dialogue following the inauguration of the second Trump administration and urged a change in the Yoon Suk-yeol government's foreign policy. Lee also expressed concerns regarding the Russia-Ukraine war and related interventions.

At the Democratic Party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Lee introduced media reports about the Trump administration transition team's efforts to promote North Korea-U.S. dialogue, stating, "The possibility of North Korea-U.S. dialogue is increasing." He added, "Given that military tensions surrounding the Korean Peninsula are higher than ever, this is a very fortunate development."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 29th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

In this context, he also called for a policy change by the government. Lee said, "If we continue to rely solely on a 'strong versus strong tactic' as we do now, we may find ourselves unable to keep up with these international trends," and criticized, "Unilateral suppression policies will demonstrate that the Yoon Suk-yeol government's North Korea strategy is by no means appropriate."

Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, Lee referred to President Trump's mention of an early ceasefire policy and criticized, "Contrary to that trend, there are talks of supplying lethal weapons or even dispatching troops?why on earth is this happening?" He also pointedly asked, "Why are we repeatedly trying to bring the flames of a war happening in a distant foreign land to the Korean Peninsula?" and "Could this be interpreted as an attitude of wanting to confront the new U.S. administration?"

He stated, "'Peace is economy' and 'security is people's livelihood,'" urging, "The government must keep pace with the rapidly changing global situation and devise a sophisticated strategy to prevent Korea from being bypassed." Lee emphasized, "Between North and South Korea, instead of confrontation as it is now, communication channels should be established, cooperation and a friendly atmosphere should be fostered, and ultimately dialogue should be achieved," adding, "A winning war is of no use. Peace is far more important."