(MENAFN) South Korean President Lee Jae-myung declared Saturday that lasting peace forms the cornerstone of constructing a viable future for the region.

"Only when peace is secured can our connectivity expand further, our innovative power be fully unleashed, and our collective prosperity be shared by all," Lee stated in his concluding address during the second session of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

Lee stressed that achieving stability on the Korean Peninsula would advance security throughout Northeast Asia while creating pathways toward collective economic advancement across the broader Asia-Pacific through collaborative partnerships and reciprocal advantages.

Armed confrontations, escalating tensions, and nuclear weapons challenges restrict both stability and cooperative efforts not only on the Korean Peninsula but across the entire Asia-Pacific region, he noted, highlighting that South Korea maintains its commitment to addressing conflicts through diplomatic engagement and aims to inaugurate a new chapter of peaceful coexistence and collaborative progress on the Korean Peninsula.

Lee further revealed that the South Korean government has already implemented proactive steps to reduce military hostilities and reconstruct bilateral confidence with the DPRK, committing to pursue more dynamic and visionary strategies to preserve regional peace.

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