South Korea’s Lee Vows Pragmatic Diplomacy, Keeps Door Open to North

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung used a news conference marking his first 30 days in office to outline a foreign-policy agenda he called “national-interest, practical diplomacy.” He said Seoul would pursue a mutually beneficial outcome in ongoing trade negotiations with the United States, framing them as a test case for the administration’s pragmatic approach. Lee insisted that channels of communication with North Korea must remain open, calling a complete break in talks “foolish” even amid heightened tension on the peninsula. Humanitarian aid and other confidence-building measures, he added, could help improve North Korean human-rights conditions and reduce security risks. While reaffirming the U.S.–South Korea alliance and pledging closer coordination with Japan on the North’s nuclear and missile programs, Lee also said he aims to swiftly mend relations with China and Russia to create what he described as a “virtuous cycle of peace and economic growth.”