Lee rejects 'absorption-based unification,' blames past 'irresponsible talk' for aggravating tensions with North

President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that he does not support the idea of “absorption-based unification,” emphasizing instead the need to start with dialogue and peaceful coexistence before discussing reunification.

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac speak during a press conference with reporters aboard the Korean Air Force One en route to Ankara, Turkey, on Nov. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that he does not support the idea of “absorption-based unification,” emphasizing instead the need to start with dialogue and peaceful coexistence before discussing reunification.

Lee also revealed that during his recent trip, the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, had requested that Korean companies participate in the Cairo Airport expansion project.

Speaking to reporters aboard the Korean Air Force One en route from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Ankara, Turkey — the final stop of his four-nation tour — Lee reiterated his gradual, phased approach to unification in response to a question referencing his written interview with Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, which was published on Sunday.

“What would we gain from absorbing [North Korea]?” Lee said. “What about the enormous conflicts that would arise? How do we cover those immense costs?”

“Politicians have needlessly heightened tensions with irresponsible talk,” he added.

He cited the former President Park Geun-hye administration’s “unification jackpot” remark, saying, “When we suddenly started talking about unification as a jackpot, [North Korea] said, ‘Are they planning to invade?’ and started putting up barbed wire, cutting roads and building barriers.”

On ongoing geopolitical tensions — such as between the United States and China or between China and Japan — Lee warned, “We could end up like a shrimp caught in a tug-of-war between two whales,” adding that if Korea appropriately mediates between both sides, "we can greatly expand our room for action.”

President Lee Jae Myung, second from left, speak during a press conference with domestic reporters aboard the Korean Air Force One en route to Ankara, Turkey, on Nov. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Lee said he conveyed Korea’s position in meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg.

He also shared his response during a Korea-Germany summit on Saturday, when German Chancellor Friedrich Merz asked about Korea’s perception of China.

“From a military and security perspective, we have to act based on the South Korea-U.S. alliance,” Lee said. “But from a geographical, historical and economic standpoint, we can’t sever ties with China. We must manage them appropriately.”

Before attending the G20, Lee visited Abu Dhabi and Cairo. On Monday, he arrived in Ankara for a state visit.

Lee revealed that during his summit on Thursday with Egyptian President El-Sisi, the Egyptian leader said his government planned to expand Cairo Airport and hoped Korean companies would take on the expansion and even manage its operations.

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi speak during a joint press conference after their summit at the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, on Nov. 23. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Egypt is promoting a $3.5 billion project to expand and modernize Cairo Airport into a central hub for the Middle East and Africa.

Lee said the United Arab Emirates (UAE) visit yielded the most significant results of his trip.

“Chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik visited in advance as a special envoy and identified many areas for cooperation, even discovering specific projects, so the results were quite substantial,” he said.

Following the Korea-UAE summit on Tuesday, Kang said Korea had boosted its arms export potential to $15 billion.

Although no memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed during the trip, Lee emphasized the strategic value of Korea’s arms exports in building favorable diplomatic relations.

President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung wave as they depart the Korean Air Force One upon arrival at Ankara Esenboga Airport in Ankara, Turkey, on Nov. 24. [YONHAP]

“If we work together in defense, it naturally leads to joint technology development and joint production,” Lee said. “That inevitably brings about security cooperation, which strengthens ties between countries.”

Lee also reaffirmed his position on the return of wartime operational control (Opcon), while noting South Korea's defense industry capabilities.

“We are spending a defense budget equivalent to 1.45 times North Korea’s GDP and are ranked fifth globally in military strength — yet we don’t have wartime operational control,” he said. “Some even think we can’t defend ourselves without outside help, but we must quickly correct that perception.”

Regarding the possibility of scaling back joint military drills with the United States, a matter highly sensitive to North Korea, Lee said, “It’s difficult to say anything definite at this point.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY YOON SUNG-MIN [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]