South Korea vows to pursue rapprochement with North Korea

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has said he wants to continue the policy of rapprochement with North Korea despite regular hostility from Pyongyang.

“We are taking proactive steps to build trust and make the North feel more secure,” Lee said on Saturday during a press conference after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the South Korean city of Gyeongju.

Lee met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for the first time at the summit, and asked the Chinese head of state and party leader to help resume dialogue with North Korea.

“I hope that the Republic of Korea and China will strengthen their strategic communication … and work towards resuming dialogue with North Korea,” Lee said. He said he viewed the recent resumption of active exchanges between Beijing and Pyongyang as a positive development.

Since taking office in June, the president has made several attempts to engage in dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which have so far been rejected.

Pyongyang repeatedly refers to South Korea as its main enemy and enshrined the definition in the North Korean constitution last year.

Kim has said he is not interested in dialogue with South Korea, regardless of which government is in power.