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President Lee Jae-myung delivers a keynote address at the U.N. General Assembly in New York on September 23. / Source: Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung laid out a three-step roadmap for Korean Peninsula denuclearization at the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, urging the international community to back what he called a realistic, phased approach beginning with a freeze on North Korea’s nuclear and missile advancements.

In his 20-minute keynote address, Lee introduced the “E.N.D. Initiative,” built on Exchange, Normalization, and Denuclearization, aimed at ending the peninsula’s Cold War legacy and contributing to global peace. “The most reliable peace is a state where there is no need to fight,” he said, stressing that disarmament must start with stopping further weapons development, followed by reductions, and ultimately complete dismantlement.

Lee argued that denuclearization cannot be achieved quickly but requires “practical, step-by-step solutions based on sober judgment.” He appealed for global cooperation, calling the initiative “not an impossible dream” but a path toward “a new era of peaceful coexistence and shared growth.”

Declaring Korea’s full return to the international stage after last year’s emergency martial law crisis, Lee said, “Today, at the U.N. General Assembly, I proudly declare that the new Republic of Korea has fully returned to the international community as a beacon of light for global citizens.” He credited the Korean people’s resilience, noting that “not even a coup attempt could extinguish their will for democracy and peace.”

Lee also tied Korea’s democratic recovery to broader global responsibilities. “The resilience and strength of Korean democracy belong not only to us but to the entire world,” he said, pledging that Korea would firmly uphold the U.N.’s values of freedom, human rights, inclusivity, and solidarity.

Expanding beyond security, Lee positioned Korea as a leader in shaping ethical technology governance. Highlighting the upcoming APEC summit in Gyeongju and a Security Council debate on AI he will chair as rotating president, Lee introduced the vision of “AI for All.” “We will work so that advanced technology contributes to universal human values and so that the vision of AI for all becomes the new normal of the international community,” he said.

Lee was the seventh among nearly 190 national leaders to address the chamber. His debut speech was met with applause at several key moments, underlining international recognition of Korea’s renewed democratic identity and its role in global peace-building.