South Korean President Lee Jae-myung used the 80th anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japanese colonial rule to announce a shift in Seoul's approach to Pyongyang. In a ceremony at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Lee pledged to respect the system of the DPRK, firmly ruling out any plan to absorb the North and discarding hostile postures.
"We affirm our respect for the DPRK's current system, aver that we will not pursue any form of unification by absorption, and assert that we have no intention of engaging in hostile acts," Lee said, marking a clear departure from the previous administration's stance.
Under former President Yoon Suk-yeol, Seoul sought a more assertive path to reunification. Lee's reversal takes a more measured, trust-building track: he plans "proactive and gradual steps" to restore the 2018 inter-Korean military pact, paused in 2024. Instant actions include removing propaganda loudspeakers along the border and halting leaflet drops.
Breaking down barriers can be as simple as silencing speakers and stopping flyers—but Lee believes these steps send a powerful message. "Trust is built through actions, not words," he noted, urging that today's gestures could spark reciprocal moves from the North.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
