South Korea's president has said he would agree to a deal between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in which North Korea agreed to freeze production of its nuclear weapons, rather than get rid of them.
Lee Jae Myung told the BBC North Korea was producing an additional 15-20 nuclear weapons a year and that a freeze - as 'an interim emergency measure' - would be 'a feasible, realistic alternative' to denuclearisation for now.
North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2022 and vowed to never relinquish its weapons.
'So long as we do not give up on the long-term goal of denuclearisation, I believe there are clear benefits to having North Korea stop its nuclear and missile development,' Lee Jae Myung said.
'The question is whether we persist with fruitless attempts towards the ultimate goal [of denuclearisation] or we set more realistic goals and achieve some of them,' Lee added.
President Lee, who entered office in June, wants to establish peaceful relations with North Korea and reduce tensions, which flared under his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached for trying to impose martial law last year.
The South Korean leader has been vocal about wanting President Trump to resume nuclear talks with Kim, which broke down in 2019 during Trump's first term, after the US asked the North to dismantle its nuclear facilities.
In a speech to parliament, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un suggested he would negotiate with Trump – but only if the US dropped its demand for denuclearisation.
Lee expressed optimism that Trump and Kim could reconnect, given their previous mutual trust, which could benefit South Korea and contribute to global peace.
The BBC sat down with Lee ahead of his trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, highlighting South Korea's presidency of the UN Security Council amidst challenges in curbing North Korea's nuclear ambitions.
Lee remained cautious regarding China's influence on North Korea's weapons program, while acknowledging China's growing ties with Russia and North Korea. He emphasized the need for a balanced approach given South Korea's precarious geographical positioning between these powers.
Despite North Korea's dismissive remarks about his outreach, Lee is pursuing a pragmatic strategy acknowledging that negotiations on nuclear disarmament need to adapt to current realities.