President Lee Believes Hope for Inter-Korean Dialogue Still Exists

By Park Boram

ROME, June 14 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung said Sunday he believes the "ember of hope" for reviving dialogue and cooperation with North Korea still exists, reaffirming his commitment to making the utmost efforts to establish peace with Pyongyang.

The president made the remarks in his speech during a special Mass at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, celebrated by South Korea-born Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik under the theme of peace and solidarity.

Lee is visiting Italy as part of his broader European trip, his first since taking office in June last year. He is set to visit the Holy See for a visit with Pope Leo XIV on Monday.

Lee referred to the inter-Korean joint statement adopted June 15, 2000, calling it a "historic turning point" that, he said, signaled the possibility of overcoming inter-Korean tensions and opening up dialogue and cooperation.

The president noted the first inter-Korean joint statement had led to reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, as well as humanitarian cooperation and other exchanges, opening the door to new hopes for building peace on the Korean Peninsula.

"I firmly believe the ember of that hope is still alive," Lee said.

The president reiterated his administration's efforts to ease tensions, including the suspension of propaganda loudspeaker campaigns toward Pyongyang.

"Additionally, we have also made it clear that we will not seek unification by absorption or unilateral (ideological) competition," Lee said.

"(We) will continue efforts to prevent accidental conflicts between the South and the North and to restore military trust," he added. "(We) plan to do everything we can to overcome the ceasefire and build a peace system."

Lee cited escalating international crises, including the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East, while noting the Korean Peninsula, too, has slid back to an era of rupture and severed dialogue.

"Distrust and tensions remain as ever," he said.

"However, South Korea has a track record of keeping its faith in peace and democracy through vicissitudes and hardship," he added, underscoring the country's capacity to overcome inter-Korean tensions.

The president also expressed gratitude for the Vatican's support for Seoul's peace efforts, saying that he believes peace on the peninsula could contribute to global peace, which would, in turn, help solidify peace on the peninsula through global solidarity.

Since taking office in June, the Lee administration has made consistent overtures to seek peace and dialogue with North Korea, although Pyongyang has remained unresponsive.

The North apparently remains firm in its pledge not to give up its nuclear weapons and missile programs, while adopting hostile policies toward Seoul by defining inter-Korean relations as those between two "hostile" countries.