S. Korea's Lee says 'ember of hope' for dialogue with North still exists

SEOUL, June 15 (UPI) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed his commitment to establishing a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula on Sunday, saying that the "ember of hope" for dialogue and cooperation with Pyongyang still exists.

Lee made the remarks during a speech at a special mass held at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, celebrated by South Korea-born Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik.

He is visiting Italy as part of his first European trip since taking office in June last year. Lee is scheduled to visit the Holy See for an audience with Pope Leo XIV on Monday.

The remarks came ahead of the 26th anniversary of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, adopted at the end of the first-ever inter-Korean summit between then-President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

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Calling it a "historical turning point," Lee said the declaration led to a series of reunions for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, as well as humanitarian cooperation and other exchanges.

"A new door of hope for peace on the Korean Peninsula was opened," Lee said. "I am convinced that the ember of hope is still alive."

Lee has pursued a series of confidence-building measures aimed at easing tensions with the North since taking office in June last year. In his speech, he cited steps such as restricting activist groups from sending anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets across the border and suspending loudspeaker broadcasts aimed at the North.

Lee also reiterated that Seoul does not seek "absorption unification" or unilateral competition between the two systems.

"In order to establish a sustainable peace system, I intend to do everything I can," he said.

North Korea has shown little interest in Seoul's overtures and recently revised its constitution to remove references to reunification with South Korea. Pyongyang has also continued to develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in the face of international sanctions and calls for denuclearization.

Last week, Lee and leaders of the European Union issued a joint statement condemning North Korea's military cooperation with Russia and expressing "grave concern" over Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Seoul and Washington also reaffirmed the shared goal of denuclearizing North Korea at a meeting of the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group on Thursday in Seoul.

On Sunday, the North's Foreign Ministry rejected the idea of denuclearization, calling it "an issue that has been finally and irreversibly concluded."

Lee is also slated to attend the Group of Seven summit in France, which runs from Monday through Wednesday.