South Korea’s President Lee Calls on China’s Xi to Mediate North Korea Nuclear Freeze Talks
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he has asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help reopen dialogue with North Korea and support efforts to halt Pyongyang’s nuclear programme, adding that a freeze on weapons development could be possible under the right conditions.
Lee’s trip marked the first visit by a South Korean leader to China in six years. During the visit, Seoul sought to rebuild ties with its largest trading partner while also urging Beijing to help address the growing nuclear tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Lee and Xi met in Beijing on Monday, just one day after North Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. Speaking later in Shanghai, Lee said he encouraged China to use its influence to bring North Korea back to negotiations.
He told Xi he hoped China could take on a mediating role in restarting discussions over Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions, especially as diplomatic communication channels have largely broken down.
“We hope China can serve as a mediator for peace,” Lee said.
According to Lee, Xi encouraged South Korea to maintain patience amid heightened tensions, noting how fragile inter-Korean relations have become. Lee acknowledged that past military actions may have been viewed as threatening by Pyongyang.
Lee also outlined a proposal in which North Korea would freeze its nuclear programme in exchange for compensation, saying that halting further weapons development would already represent meaningful progress. However, he stressed that the long-term goal of a denuclearised Korean Peninsula must remain in place.
North Korea continues to insist its nuclear status is permanent, and relations between Seoul and Pyongyang remain deeply strained. Meanwhile, Pyongyang says its weapons exist to deter perceived threats from the United States and has significantly increased missile tests in recent years, which analysts believe are aimed at strengthening precision strike capabilities and possibly supplying weapons abroad.
As tensions persist, the path to peace remains uncertain. But Lee’s call for renewed diplomacy reflects a shared truth felt quietly across the region and the world: behind every policy, every negotiation, and every missile test are millions of people simply hoping for stability, safety, and the chance to live without fear. Peace is not only a political goal — it is a human one.