South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has told the BBC that Seoul is ready to accept a possible deal between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un if it leads to a freeze on Pyongyang's nuclear program, even if it does not include a complete abandonment.
According to him, North Korea produces 15-20 new nuclear weapons every year, and a halt to development could be a "temporary emergency measure" - a realistic alternative to complete denuclearization.
North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2022. International pressure and pressure to abandon its nuclear program have so far failed. In addition, Pyongyang has refused to return to the negotiating table since 2019.
"There are obvious advantages to North Korea's cessation of nuclear weapons and missile development," Lee said. "The question is: should we continue futile attempts to achieve the ultimate goal of denuclearization, or should we set more realistic goals and achieve at least some of them?"
