Anchor: President Lee Jae Myung delivered his first keynote address at the United Nations General Assembly, proposing a pragmatic and phased approach to denuclearization and declaring that South Korea has returned to the international stage after overcoming domestic political turmoil. Speaking as the seventh leader among representatives of approximately 190 countries at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Lee presented a comprehensive vision for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Our Yun Sohyang has this report. 

Report: 
[Sounds from the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly]

President Lee Jae Myung addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the first time since taking office on Tuesday, pledging to end the current era of hostility and confrontation on the Korean Peninsula and usher in a new period of peaceful coexistence and shared growth. 

He reaffirmed that the government of South Korea respects the North’s current system, will not pursue unification by absorption and will refrain from hostile acts, vowing to bring "unnecessary" inter-Korean military tension to an end.

[Soundbite: President Lee Jae Myung (Korean-English)]
"The Government of the Republic of Korea clearly reaffirms that it respects the North’s current system, that it will not pursue any form of unification by absorption and that it has no intention of engaging in hostile acts. Based on these three principles, we intend to end the vicious cycle of unnecessary inter-Korean military tension and hostile acts."

Lee also unveiled the so-called 'exchange, normalization, denuclearization' initiative for peace on the Korean Peninsula. 

[soundbite: President Lee Jae Myung (KOR-ENG)]
"Through comprehensive dialogue centered on “Exchange,” “Normalization” and “Denuclearization” — in other words, “END” — we must end the era of hostility and confrontation on the Korean Peninsula and usher in a new era of peaceful coexistence and shared growth."

Taking a pragmatic approach to nuclear issues, Lee acknowledged that while denuclearization is a serious challenge that cannot be resolved quickly, realistic and rational solutions remain paramount. 

The president called for international cooperation on a phased pause, reduction and eventual dismantling of Pyongyang's nuclear and missile capabilities.

But Lee's vision still faces major hurdles. In a patent omission, U.S. President Donald Trump made no mention of North Korea or inter-Korean issues during his own address to the assembly while claiming that he had "ended seven wars" since taking office in January.

Washington has also reiterated that “complete denuclearization” remains its goal, a departure from Lee’s incremental and coexistence-driven framework.

Meanwhile, Pyongyang recently expressed that it was open to talks with Washington if it were to drop its denuclearization demand.
Yun Sohyang, KBS WORLD Radio news.