Anchor: President Yoon Suk Yeol said that it is in the national interest to comply with the Non-Proliferation Treaty(NPT), dismissing calls for the country's nuclear armament. Yoon made the remark in a special interview with KBS that aired on Wednesday in which he shared his thoughts on key issues as he enters his third year in office, including the low birthrate and criticisms surrounding the first lady's acceptance of a luxury bag gift. 
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: President Yoon Suk Yeol has again made it clear that his government will not pursue South Korea's nuclear armament.

During an exclusive interview with KBS that aired Wednesday night, the South Korean president addressed a wide range of issues facing the nation, from North Korea to the low birthrate.

[Sound bite: President Yoon Suk Yeol (Korean-English)]
"If we were to develop nuclear weapons now, we would probably be subject to various economic sanctions, just like North Korea, and the economy would likely suffer a serious blow. So that is not realistic. That’s why we should strictly comply with the terms of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. But considering the country's science and technology capabilities, it would not take long to develop nuclear weapons if the country put its mind to it."   

The president said that he is open to an inter-Korean summit regardless of North Korea's denuclearization progress, but warned against holding talks for the sake of talks.

[Sound bite: President Yoon Suk Yeol (Korean-English)] 
"An inter-Korean summit could be held, regardless of whether or not North Korea gives up its nuclear weapons. But, for that to happen, a humanitarian cooperative relationship needs to be developed, and it should not be arranged in a top-down manner. Such a summit must be held in a bottom-up manner, following exchanges and discussions between working-level officials, and after the agenda and desired outcome are prepared. Just pushing ahead with it could again end up as a show without any conclusion or benefit."    

The interview was pre-recorded on Sunday amid a controversy surrounding First Lady Kim Keon-hee's acceptance of a luxury handbag from an acquaintance in 2022 who secretly recorded the scene with a hidden camera on his wristwatch. 

Yoon characterized the incident as a political setup ahead of the elections in April, defending the first lady against criticisms from the opposition camp.

[Sound bite: President Yoon Suk Yeol (Korean-English)]
"As I see it, the fact that she was unable to cold-heartedly reject it was the problem, if it was a problem, and it is a little regrettable. If she had told me about the situation in advance, I would have been a little more decisive because I worked in law enforcement for 26 years and still have that DNA, but I think she probably found it difficult to reject him due to various circumstances. It’s a little regrettable.”   

During the interview, the president said that his government will take a structural approach to boost the nation's record-low birthrate, which is expected to drop below zero-point-seven, aiming to raise it to one-point-zero per woman.

While noting that the issue stems from the excessively competitive nature of Korean society, the president fell short of introducing specific plans to turn the tide for the nation. 

[Sound bite: President Yoon Suk Yeol (Korean-English)]
"We are trying to approach this by focusing on more structural issues as our society is too caught up in excessive and unnecessary competition. We need to place more emphasis on family and live with values based on humanism. I think balanced regional development is one [of the solutions]."   

Yoon said he plans to actively manage living costs, including the prices of daily necessities, by easing related regulations.  

Yoon's interview with KBS took place in the year-and-a-half long absence of a presidential news conference. 

As Yoon nears the beginning of his third year in office, the president told KBS that he will find more opportunities to communicate with news agencies.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.