S. Korea's Lee Calls for Continued Efforts to Rebuild Trust with North

(MENAFN) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung urged renewed efforts Sunday to rebuild trust with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, signaling a conciliatory posture toward Pyongyang at a landmark national commemoration.

Speaking at the ceremony marking the 107th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement — a pivotal act of resistance against Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule — Lee framed inter-Korean reconciliation as the highest expression of the independence spirit.

Building a peaceful Korean Peninsula, where the two Koreas can grow together through coexistence and cooperation and on a foundation of trust, will be the true way to fully uphold the spirit of the independence movement, Lee said in his commemorative address.

The South Korean leader offered direct reassurances to Pyongyang, affirming Seoul's respect for the DPRK's political system while categorically ruling out any provocative or hostile conduct. Lee also rejected the notion of unification through absorption — a longstanding point of sensitivity for the North — and committed to sustained diplomatic outreach aimed at restarting stalled inter-Korean dialogue.

The remarks represent one of Lee's most pointed overtures toward the DPRK since taking office, delivered on a date that carries deep symbolic weight in the Korean national consciousness. Whether Pyongyang will respond to the olive branch remains to be seen, as cross-border communications have remained largely frozen in recent years.

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