South Korean President Lee Jae Myung used a Liberation Day address on 15 Aug 2025—marking the 80th anniversary of the peninsula’s independence—to outline a diplomatic reset on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. Lee said his government will work to reinstate the September 19, 2018 inter-Korean military agreement, which bans hostile acts around the Demilitarized Zone and was suspended last year. Emphasising that Seoul "respects" North Korea’s current system, he vowed there would be no hostile actions and pledged to pursue a peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue while inviting Pyongyang back to the negotiating table. On relations with Japan, Lee called the neighbouring country an "indispensable partner in our economic development" yet urged Tokyo to face its wartime history. He said Seoul would seek "future-oriented co-existence and cooperation," signalling a move toward regular leader-level exchanges and joint growth initiatives. The speech sets the stage for an active round of summitry: Lee is expected to visit Tokyo on 23 Aug ahead of a 25 Aug meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, where denuclearization and economic security are likely to feature prominently.