South Korean President says won’t neglect North Korea’s advance of nuclear program
Seoul, Nov 20 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has said he will not neglect efforts by North Korea to advance its nuclear program, vowing to achieve denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula with a “pragmatic and phased” approach.
In a contribution to Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram that was published Thursday, Lee asked Egypt to support South Korea’s plans to denuclearise North Korea and peace initiatives on the Korean Peninsula.
Highlighting Cairo’s mediating role in the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip, Lee also expressed hope for expanded cooperation between South Korea and Egypt to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East, reports Yonhap news agency.
Since taking office in June, Lee has extended an olive branch to resume dialogue with Pyongyang and proposed a three-step road map to halt, reduce and dismantle North Korea’s program, though the North remains unresponsive.
“The suspended inter-Korean dialogue and North Korea’s evolving nuclear capabilities cannot be left as they are, and I firmly believe we should open a new era of peaceful coexistence and shared growth on the Korean Peninsula,” Lee wrote.
“To that end, we will increase exchanges with North Korea in feasible areas, support its efforts to normalise relations with the international community, and plan to pursue denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula through a pragmatic and phased approach,” he added.
Marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, Lee stressed the importance of deepening cooperation in trade, investment, and cultural exchanges.
He noted the presence of Samsung and LG factories in Egypt producing smartphones and home appliances, as well as Egypt’s contracts for South Korea’s K-9 self-propelled howitzers, with the first batch expected to be delivered next year.
Lee highlighted the rising popularity of Korean music and dramas in Egypt, saying he was “deeply moved” by the interest in Korean culture in a country rich in its own history and heritage.
He positioned South Korea as a “reliable partner” for Egypt’s national development blueprint, Vision 2030, expressing hope for strengthened cooperation across various fields.
“The Republic of Korea, which achieved the ‘Miracle of the Han River,’ will join the great journey of Egyptians, who achieved the ‘Miracle of the Nile River,'” he said, referring to South Korea’s official name.
–IANS
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