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Lee Jae-myung, president of South Korea, speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One on November 23 while en route from South Africa to Türkiye after attending the G20 summit. / Source: Yonhap News

On November 23, President Lee Jae-myung said it was “difficult to predict” the future direction of U.S.–South Korea joint military exercises, stressing that any adjustments must depend on “specific situations and conditions.”

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he traveled from South Africa to Türkiye after the G20 summit, Lee acknowledged that “some are calling for a review of scaling down or delaying the drills,” but said it was not the time to make assumptions.

Lee noted that North Korea is particularly sensitive to combined military exercises. “If a stable peace regime is firmly established between the two Koreas, we may not need the costly joint drills that President Trump dislikes,” he said. “Depending on circumstances, the exercises can serve as leverage or as an outcome—but it is difficult to say anything definitive right now.”

The president said inter-Korean relations have shifted into a “highly hostile and confrontational phase,” and emphasized the need to resolve what he described as an “accumulated karmic burden” in order to improve ties.

Referring to the previous administration’s decision to send drones into North Korea, Lee said, “Imagine how tense they must have felt. States, too, accumulate karma.” He added that reducing that burden “requires greater effort and more time than what created it in the first place.”

For progress in inter-Korean relations, Lee stressed the need for greater patience and stronger deterrence. “We must secure overwhelming defense capabilities that can fully suppress any provocation,” he said. “Based on that foundation, we must communicate, negotiate and create openings.”

Lee added that South Korea must continue conveying its goodwill: “If they doubt us, saying it once is not enough—twice is better. If they avoid us, we should follow them and keep the conversation going.”

Commenting on the Defense Ministry’s recent proposal to hold talks with North Korea to clarify the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), Lee warned that the absence of a clearly agreed boundary could trigger armed clashes. “Both sides can insist the land is theirs and that could lead to shooting. That is why we need talks—to draw the line. This is the minimum that must be done,” he said.

Lee also defended his earlier decision to halt propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and shortwave radio transmissions toward the North, calling them “a foolish and costly exercise” when “everything is already available on the internet.” He additionally said that sending long-term unconverted prisoners back to North Korea should be considered.