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President Lee Jae-myung rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on September 25, joined by Korean economic officials and NYSE Chair Lynn Martin. / Source: Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung urged U.S. investors to see beyond geopolitical risks as he promoted the Korean market during a high-profile visit to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on September 25.

“The instability caused by North-South military confrontation and the resulting undervaluation of Korea’s stock market will be definitively resolved under this new administration,” Lee declared at the “Korea Investment Summit” held at the NYSE.

Lee, who rang the opening bell at the exchange earlier in the day, said North Korea’s nuclear and missile program posed an urgent security challenge but emphasized that even halting further development would bring “significant benefits.” He added that only U.S. President Donald Trump could credibly negotiate “a freeze on nuclear development, arms reduction, and eventual denuclearization” with Pyongyang.

“North Korea appears to have secured enough nuclear weapons for regime survival, and its ICBM technology is nearly complete,” Lee warned. “If left unchecked, it could add 15 to 20 warheads each year and eventually export them abroad. Stopping this expansion alone is a substantial security gain.”

Comparing Korea’s undervaluation to Taiwan’s relatively stable market despite tensions with China, Lee argued that political risk was weighing unfairly on Seoul’s equity performance. He pledged to address such risks, noting that enhanced defense spending and robust industrial policy would ensure Korea’s security.

The president also promised stricter action against market manipulation and outlined plans to overhaul Korea’s economy toward advanced technologies, renewable energy, aerospace defense, and biotechnology. He quipped about Korea’s absence from the MSCI index, asking, “Is Morgan Stanley here today? I especially wanted to see you—please take good care of us,” drawing laughter from participants.

This marks the first time a Korean president has hosted an investment forum at the NYSE, though it is the fourth official visit to the exchange. The event drew over 20 executives from Wall Street, including Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, Goldman Sachs President Marc Nachmann, and J.P. Morgan Asset Management CEO Mary Erdoes, alongside Korean business leaders such as SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Jin Ok-dong.