South Korean President Lee Jae Myung vowed to pursue lasting peace with North Korea in the new year as a foundation for long-term growth and stability, delivering a national address to kick off 2026.

In his speech on Thursday, Lee framed engagement with Pyongyang as a core element of a broader strategy to overcome low growth and chronic security risks, saying South Korea must shift from “unstable growth lived under the constant threat of war” to “stable growth underpinned by peace.”

The president asserted that strong security serves as “the driving force of prosperity,” suggesting that sustained de-escalation will alleviate