President Lee Jae Myung said the government will pursue all feasible means of peaceful coexistence with North Korea, even if reunification is not realistic at present.

The president said Wednesday during a New Year's news conference at the presidential office that, given the current situation, even avoiding war would be a positive outcome.

Lee said the government would maintain strong defense and deterrence capabilities while pursuing dialogue, communication and cooperation with North Korea on the basis of mutual respect.

Lee stressed the United States' role in resolving Korean Peninsula issues, adding that U.S. President Donald Trump’s unconventional approach could help facilitate progress.

Lee acknowledged that denuclearization remains the ultimate goal but said it was unrealistic to assume Pyongyang would abandon its nuclear weapons in the near term, given that the regime continues to produce fissile material and advance its missile technology.

He called for a pragmatic approach that prioritizes freezing North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, followed by arms reduction and, eventually, denuclearization.