South Korea’s president pledges support for North Korea-US talks

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday reaffirmed his commitment to actively support potential talks between North Korea and the US this year to help revive long-stalled diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula.

In his New Year's address, President Lee said his government would work to facilitate the resumption of dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang while continuing efforts to restore inter-Korean relations, according to Yonhap News.

He recalled summit talks held last year with US President Donald Trump, who expressed hope for renewed engagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a move Lee publicly backed.

Despite North Korea's current refusal to engage, he stressed the importance of diplomacy and said his administration is pursuing measures to reduce military tensions.

"We will replace unstable growth constrained by the threat of war with stable growth supported by peace," he said, adding: "Steadfast peace is synonymous with growth, and robust security is the driving force behind prosperity."

Last month, Lee also reiterated his call for North Korea to restore communication channels, saying: "The historic task given to us is to end hostility and confrontation between the two Koreas and to build a new inter-Korean relationship based on peaceful existence."