South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to act as a mediator with North Korea during their summit this week, while confirming that the two leaders held serious discussions about Pyongyang’s nuclear program.

Speaking at a meeting with reporters on Wednesday in Shanghai, Lee said he and Xi held “long and in-depth discussions” and reached a shared understanding that peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula are critically important to both countries.

The ROK leader added that they “seriously” discussed the North Korean nuclear issue, warning that progress is impossible if concerned parties cling