President Lee Jae Myung said South Korea and the United States are willing to hold talks with North Korea without preconditions and proposed a phased approach to the nuclear issue. In an interview during his New York visit, Lee argued that sanctions relief could be exchanged for a halt to additional nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile development.
Lee framed the proposal as an interim step rather than a replacement for the longer-term goal of denuclearization. He said an approach focused only on a final settlement had produced limited practical results.
Any sanctions change would require coordination with the United States and other parties involved in the international sanctions regime. North Korea would also have to accept a verifiable freeze for such an exchange to move beyond a proposal.
The immediate question is whether Washington or Pyongyang shows interest in the phased framework. Lee's remarks define a negotiating position, not an agreement.