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Lee Unveils ‘END’ Initiative at UN, Calls for Phased Denuclearization of North Korea

Seoul signals a broader diplomatic push that pairs confidence-building steps with global governance leadership.

South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 23, 2025. REUTERS/MIKE SEGAR
President Lee Jae Myung delivers a keynote speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 23, 2025. (Yonhap)
President Lee Jae Myung delivers a keynote speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 23, 2025. (Yonhap)
President Lee Jae Myung delivers a keynote speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 23, 2025. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • In his UN General Assembly debut, President Lee outlined the Exchange‑Normalization‑Denuclearization framework to end hostility and restart inter‑Korean engagement.
  • He urged a pragmatic sequence for denuclearization that begins with a halt to further nuclear and missile advances, proceeds to reductions, and ultimately reaches dismantlement.
  • Lee pledged respect for the North’s current system with no pursuit of unification by absorption, citing suspended loudspeaker broadcasts and leaflet launches to help lower tensions.
  • He declared that a “new” South Korea has fully returned to the international community and committed to play a leading role after the country’s democratic crisis.
  • Meeting U.S. lawmakers in New York, Lee pressed to prevent a repeat of Georgia’s mass detentions and discussed the Partner with Korea Act’s proposed ~15,000 E‑4 visas, as he prepares to chair a UN Security Council debate on responsible AI on Wednesday.