President Lee "Will Stand with the US, Need to Manage China as Well... Role as a Bridge"

100-Day In-Office Time Interview... Presented Phased Solution for North Korean Nuclear Issue Including 'Suspension-Disarmament' and Mentioned 'Compensation'

"Would Have Been Impeached" If US Trade Negotiations Were Accepted As Is... On Pardon Controversy, "It Was Necessary"

On the 'Trump Nobel Prize' Question, "There Would Be No One Else to Receive the Award" If Inter-Korean Relations Progress

Young Startup Imagination Concert, President Lee Jae-myung Speaking (Seongnam=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Do-hoon = President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Young Startup Imagination Concert held at Startup Square in Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province, on the 17th. 2025.9.17 [Presidential Office Communications Photo Journalists] superdoo82@yna.co.kr

President Lee Jae-myung expressed his determination to stand with the United States on the international stage, while acknowledging that China cannot be neglected.

In an interview with the American news magazine Time, released on the 18th, President Lee emphasized, "Our democratic and market economy values are based on the ROK-US alliance," while also stating, "Given China's geographical proximity, historical relationship, economic ties, and civilian exchanges, we cannot completely sever our relationship with China."

He added, "We must manage our relationship at an appropriate level, and I believe the Western world needs to understand this point. While we will stand with the United States, we also need to manage our relationship with China well to avoid provoking them."

Otherwise, President Lee assessed, "There is a risk that South Korea could find itself on the front lines of confrontation between the two camps."

He suggested that South Korea could play the role of a "bridge" connecting major powers.

Regarding relations with North Korea, he indicated that pressure alone may not be the answer and left open the possibility of negotiations to halt nuclear development.

President Lee questioned, "If we just tell North Korea to stop, will they stop their (nuclear) program?" He added, "I believe that if we continue to apply our current pressure, North Korea will continue to produce more bombs."

He continued, "When it comes to the North Korean nuclear issue, we often think of it as an 'all or nothing' choice between tolerating nuclear weapons or achieving complete denuclearization, but I believe there is a middle ground."

He emphasized, "We can negotiate with North Korea to suspend their nuclear and missile programs."

Furthermore, he stated, "I believe we need to distinguish between short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. The short-term goal is to stop their nuclear and missile programs," and explained, "And for some of those measures, we can offer them compensation, then pursue disarmament, and then complete denuclearization."

Regarding recent trade negotiations with the United States, he mentioned that the US demands were overly strict.

President Lee stated, "If we had accepted them, I would have been impeached," and added, "Therefore, I asked the US negotiating team for reasonable alternatives."

Regarding US President Donald Trump's mention of US military base ownership during the summit at the White House, he drew a line, saying, "It seems like he was joking."

President Lee also said, "The US military is already using the bases and land without paying for them. If the US were to own them, they would have to pay property taxes, and we cannot grant them an exemption from that."

Regarding the gifts of golf clubs and other items presented to President Trump during the summit, he commented, "Knowing that President Trump is an excellent golfer, if we played a round of golf, I might lose by an even greater margin."

When asked about his greatest achievement since taking office, he cited, "The stabilization of the domestic political situation."

However, Time noted that President Lee is clearly aware of the crisis situation facing South Korea and is working to 'reboot' the country.

President Lee told Time that South Korea is "in a very serious crisis," and emphasized, "To solve these problems, we need to put our economy back on a growth trajectory and provide more opportunities for our people."

Regarding the controversy over the pardons of Cho Kuk, former leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, and Yoon Mee-hyang, former lawmaker, on Liberation Day, he responded, "Everything has two sides. I knew public opinion would be divided, but it was a necessary measure."

President Lee also emphasized, "The current political situation in South Korea is one where confrontation and division are normalized, to the point where even my breathing is criticized by some. Changing this culture is my duty and responsibility."

When asked if he would recommend President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of improved relations with North Korea, he replied, "If there is substantial progress on this issue, there would be no one else deserving of that award."

Regarding his relationship with President Trump, he noted, "We both have a strong desire to achieve many things, and we have in common the desire to leave behind accomplishments that people will remember."

He added, "President Trump would not want to reach a conclusion where he is left as a loser. Therefore, he will not make irrational choices, and I believe we can connect better than initially expected."

Regarding the Victory Day parade in China, which took place on the day of the interview, he stated, "It seemed like China wanted me to attend, but they didn't ask further."

On the K-culture boom, he commented, "South Korea's cultural capabilities were not built overnight. We will continue to surprise the world through K-culture, and South Korea's soft power will be further strengthened."

This interview was conducted at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 3rd, marking President Lee's 100th day in office, and was released by Time on the same day. Yonhap News