Lee urges Korean Peninsula peace talks involving United States, China in Liberation Day address

In his Liberation Day address, President Lee Jae Myung called for talks to replace the Korean Peninsula’s armistice with peace and curb North Korea’s nuclear advances. President Lee Jae Myung speaks at 81st Liberation Day celebrations at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul on Aug. 15. President Lee Jae Myung said Saturday that South Korea 'will embark on a journey to end war and transform the Korean Peninsula's unstable armistice into a peace regime,' calling on the two Koreas to 'drop all intentions of threatening one another and initiate dialogue among directly concerned parties to conclude this long war.' Speaking at South Korea's 81st Liberation Day ceremony in Seoul, Lee said such dialogue could also help 'devise effective ways to curb advances in the North's nuclear capabilities.' The proposal builds on the three principles toward Pyongyang that Lee set out in last year's address — respecting the North's political system, ruling out unification by absorption, and forgoing hostile acts. This year, he formally called for talks involving South Korea, North Korea, and the United States, or those three plus China, to work toward a peace regime. The 1950-53 Korean War ended in a ceasefire agreement signed by the U.S.-led United Nations Command, North Korea, and China, but a permanent peace has not been achieved. Lee outlined three principles for pursuing a peace regime: inclusivity, stability, and broader contributions to Northeast Asia. On inclusivity, he emphasized reducing hostility between the two Koreas and fostering peaceful coexistence. On stability, he proposed mechanisms to manage tensions and safeguards against crises. On broader contributions, he noted that peace would bolster security in Northeast Asia and advance a nuclear-weapon-free world. Regarding relations with Japan, Lee highlighted the foundation of trust built through shuttle diplomacy and stressed the importance of deepening this relationship for South Korea's international role. He pledged to pursue pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests and hoped to achieve sixty years of peace and prosperity with Japan. Lee’s message this year focused on a new liberation for the Republic of Korea, aiming to build an irreplaceable nation and ensure equitable growth. He also called for unified domestic politics, emphasizing compromise and coexistence amid global economic competition. On historical issues, Lee reaffirmed efforts to recover assets from pro-Japanese collaborators, with proceeds supporting independence activists and their families.