On the 18th, President Lee Jae-myung met with Harvard University professor Michael Sandel at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul. President Lee expressed his intention to stand with the United States in the international community but also emphasized the necessity of maintaining relations with China.
In an interview with the American magazine Time, which was released on the 18th, President Lee stated, “Our values of democracy and market economy are based on the Korea-U.S. alliance,” while also pointing out, “Due to geographic proximity, historical relations, economic ties, and civilian exchanges, it is impossible to completely sever relations with China.”
He further noted, “We must manage our relations at an appropriate level, and I believe the Western world should understand this. We will work with the United States, but we also need to manage Korea-China relations carefully to avoid provoking China.”
President Lee warned that failing to do so might place Korea at the frontline of confrontation between two blocs.
Regarding relations with North Korea, President Lee mentioned that pressure alone might not be the answer and left open the possibility of negotiations to deter nuclear development. He stated, “Do you think North Korea will halt its (nuclear) program if we only tell them to stop?” and expressed his belief that continuous pressure would lead North Korea to produce more bombs.
He added, “We often think of the North Korean nuclear issue as a choice between tolerating nuclear weapons or achieving complete denuclearization—an ‘all or nothing’ approach—but I believe there is a middle ground.” He emphasized the potential for negotiations with North Korea to stop its nuclear and missile programs.
Additionally, President Lee suggested distinguishing between short, medium, and long-term goals, saying, “In the short term, we must halt their nuclear and missile programs. In exchange for some of these measures, we might provide compensation, and then pursue disarmament and complete denuclearization.”
Concerning trade negotiations with the United States, President Lee remarked that the U.S. demands were too strict. He mentioned, “If I had accepted them, I would have been impeached,” and thus requested reasonable alternatives from the U.S. negotiation team.
Regarding former President Donald Trump’s mention of U.S. military base ownership during a summit at the White House, President Lee dismissed it as a possible joke. He stated, “The U.S. military already uses bases and land without paying for them, and if the U.S. were to own them, they would have to pay property taxes, which we cannot simply waive.”
As his greatest achievement since taking office, he cited the stabilization of domestic political situations.
Regarding the controversy over the pardoning of former Jo Guk Innovation Party leader Cho Kuk and former lawmaker Yoon Mee-hyang, he responded, “Everything has two sides” and acknowledged it as a necessary measure despite expected divided public opinion.
President Lee criticized the current political situation in Korea, characterized by daily confrontation and division, as so extreme that even his breathing draws criticism from some quarters. He emphasized that changing this culture is his duty and responsibility.
Concerning China’s Victory Day ceremony on the day of the interview, President Lee commented, “It seemed China wanted me to attend, but they did not inquire further.”