South Korean President Lee Jae Myung rejected what he called “submissive” diplomacy, stressing that national interests must take precedence even as his country maintains its crucial alliance with the US.
– Speaking at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Lee said South Korea must pursue pragmatic diplomacy while protecting its dignity, Yonhap News Agency reported.
– “Diplomacy should be pursued in a way that always upholds South Korea’s dignity and safeguards its national interests,” Lee said, rejecting any “submissive or kowtowing stance.”
– “The guiding principle of South Korea’s diplomacy is pragmatism. The most important thing for South Korea is its national interests,” he added.
– Lee described the alliance with the US as “very important” and the cornerstone of South Korea’s foreign policy.
– However, he acknowledged that disagreements between allies were inevitable and should be addressed through continued dialogue and coordination.
– “Differences should be continuously debated, raised and coordinated,” he said, calling for disagreements to be kept at a manageable level.
– His remarks came amid friction over Washington’s restrictions on sharing intelligence about North Korean nuclear facilities.
– The dispute followed Unification Minister Chung Dong-young’s public identification of Kusong as a suspected uranium enrichment site. Washington reportedly considered the disclosure sensitive, while Seoul maintained that the information was publicly available.
– South Korean intelligence officials have insisted that broader security cooperation remains intact.