The Koreas | Diplomacy | East Asia

South Korean President Pledges to Respect North’s System in March 1st Address

Lee Jae-myung seeks peaceful coexistence with North Korea and shuttle diplomacy with Japan amid a shifting regional security landscape.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung delivers a speech at a ceremony marking the 107th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement, Mar. 1, 2026.

In a speech marking the 107th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said that his administration will officially respect North Korea’s political system, pledging to avoid any pursuit of unification by absorption. Lee also outlined a pragmatic diplomatic framework aimed at stabilizing the Korean Peninsula through mutual recognition and a “future-oriented” partnership with Japan.

“As has been stated several times, our government respects the North’s system and will not engage in any hostile acts or pursue any form of unification by absorption,” Lee said during his speech on March 1. “Just as we have preemptively taken various measures to lower military tensions between the South and North and restore mutual trust through actions rather than words, we will consistently and continuously push forward with the tasks necessary for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the restoration of inter-Korean trust.”

Recently, North Korea showed its interest in holding dialogue with the United States without preconditions. However, Pyongyang has been clear that it is sidelining South Korea. At the recent Ninth Party Congress, North Korea officially defined South Korea as the “out-and-out first hostile state” and the “immutable principal enemy.” The North Korean state agencies that used to be tasked with inter-Korean diplomacy and cooperation have been dissolved.

Despite Pyongyang’s consistent refusal to consider Seoul’s role in nuclear talks, Lee reiterated his will to work as a “pacemaker” to help the North and the U.S. renew the deadlocked talks.

“As a pacemaker, we will communicate faithfully with the United States as well as neighboring countries so that dialogue between North Korea and the United States can be resumed as soon as possible,” Lee said. “As the North is also establishing and implementing a new five-year plan, I expect that they will come out to the forum of dialogue as soon as possible, leave the dark past behind, and move forward together toward a new future.”

Regarding relations with Tokyo, Lee navigated the historical grievances associated with the March 1st movement by advocating for a dual-track approach. While acknowledging the painful traces of history and the suffering of victims under Japanese colonial rule, he urged both nations to face the past while simultaneously addressing contemporary global crises.

“Now, as we face a harsh international situation, is precisely the time for South Korea and Japan to respond to reality and open the future together,” Lee said. “We will continue shuttle diplomacy with Japan in the future and actively provide support so that the people of both countries can further feel the effects of the developing relationship and open up new opportunities.”

The address concluded with a call for national unity, framing the spirit of the 1919 independence movement as a blueprint for modern democracy and economic prosperity. Lee described South Korea as a leading democratic model that has successfully achieved both industrialization and democratization, asserting that this legacy should now be used to foster a peninsula free from the threat of war.

By grounding his vision in the spirit of peace and coexistence, Lee sought to justify his engagement policies as a continuation of Korea’s historical aspirations. The speech served as a formal declaration of his administration’s intent to prioritize regional stability and pragmatic diplomacy over ideological confrontation in the coming year.

However, it is still unclear whether Kim Jong Un, the autocratic leader of North Korea, would change his hawkish stance toward Lee to revive the inter-Korean dialogue, the way Kim did with Lee’s liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, in 2018. 

Following the ceremony on March 1, Lee immediately departed for a four-day tour of Southeast Asia, starting with a summit in Singapore on March 2 to strengthen cooperation in AI and nuclear energy. Lee is now set to continue his diplomatic mission in Manila. The trip, which focuses on deepening economic and security ties with key regional partners, will conclude with his return to Seoul on March 4.

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In a speech marking the 107th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said that his administration will officially respect North Korea’s political system, pledging to avoid any pursuit of unification by absorption. Lee also outlined a pragmatic diplomatic framework aimed at stabilizing the Korean Peninsula through mutual recognition and a “future-oriented” partnership with Japan.

“As has been stated several times, our government respects the North’s system and will not engage in any hostile acts or pursue any form of unification by absorption,” Lee said during his speech on March 1. “Just as we have preemptively taken various measures to lower military tensions between the South and North and restore mutual trust through actions rather than words, we will consistently and continuously push forward with the tasks necessary for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the restoration of inter-Korean trust.”

Recently, North Korea showed its interest in holding dialogue with the United States without preconditions. However, Pyongyang has been clear that it is sidelining South Korea. At the recent Ninth Party Congress, North Korea officially defined South Korea as the “out-and-out first hostile state” and the “immutable principal enemy.” The North Korean state agencies that used to be tasked with inter-Korean diplomacy and cooperation have been dissolved.

Despite Pyongyang’s consistent refusal to consider Seoul’s role in nuclear talks, Lee reiterated his will to work as a “pacemaker” to help the North and the U.S. renew the deadlocked talks.

“As a pacemaker, we will communicate faithfully with the United States as well as neighboring countries so that dialogue between North Korea and the United States can be resumed as soon as possible,” Lee said. “As the North is also establishing and implementing a new five-year plan, I expect that they will come out to the forum of dialogue as soon as possible, leave the dark past behind, and move forward together toward a new future.”

Regarding relations with Tokyo, Lee navigated the historical grievances associated with the March 1st movement by advocating for a dual-track approach. While acknowledging the painful traces of history and the suffering of victims under Japanese colonial rule, he urged both nations to face the past while simultaneously addressing contemporary global crises.

“Now, as we face a harsh international situation, is precisely the time for South Korea and Japan to respond to reality and open the future together,” Lee said. “We will continue shuttle diplomacy with Japan in the future and actively provide support so that the people of both countries can further feel the effects of the developing relationship and open up new opportunities.”

The address concluded with a call for national unity, framing the spirit of the 1919 independence movement as a blueprint for modern democracy and economic prosperity. Lee described South Korea as a leading democratic model that has successfully achieved both industrialization and democratization, asserting that this legacy should now be used to foster a peninsula free from the threat of war.

By grounding his vision in the spirit of peace and coexistence, Lee sought to justify his engagement policies as a continuation of Korea’s historical aspirations. The speech served as a formal declaration of his administration’s intent to prioritize regional stability and pragmatic diplomacy over ideological confrontation in the coming year.

However, it is still unclear whether Kim Jong Un, the autocratic leader of North Korea, would change his hawkish stance toward Lee to revive the inter-Korean dialogue, the way Kim did with Lee’s liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, in 2018. 

Following the ceremony on March 1, Lee immediately departed for a four-day tour of Southeast Asia, starting with a summit in Singapore on March 2 to strengthen cooperation in AI and nuclear energy. Lee is now set to continue his diplomatic mission in Manila. The trip, which focuses on deepening economic and security ties with key regional partners, will conclude with his return to Seoul on March 4.

Mitch Shin is a chief correspondent for The Diplomat, covering the Korean Peninsula. He is also a non-resident research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies and associate fellow for the Swedish Institute of International Affairs.

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