(LEAD) Lee says Iran war makes N. Korea less likely to give up nukes
2026.06.10 19:38
(LEAD) Lee says Iran war makes N. Korea less likely to give up nukes
(ATTN: CHANGES dateline; UPDATES with response from presidential office, additional information from 7th para; TRIMS)
SEOUL/BRUSSELS, June 10 (Yonhap) -- The U.S.-Iran war has made North Korea even less likely to give up its nuclear weapons program, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said in an interview published Wednesday.
Lee made the remark in a recent interview with The Economist on the occasion of the first anniversary of his inauguration, adding the "unique personality" of U.S. President Trump can be "very helpful" in bringing the North back to dialogue.
Lee also reaffirmed South Korea's own commitment to nonproliferation, telling the British journal it is "not desirable nor realistic" for the country to have nuclear weapons.
On defense matters in general, he said, "When it comes to the defense of our nation, we must take matters into our own hands," according to the journal.
Addressing the political situation following the turmoil of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration in 2024, Lee said the country can "move beyond this normalization of the abnormal" and even "develop into a nation that leads the world."
He suggested a basic income grant as a way to "distribute some of the excess profits to the general public," referring to the recent debate about how to share the windfall gains of chip giants such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix amid an artificial intelligence (AI)-related boom.
Presidential officials here in Brussels later explained that Lee's remarks were not about the distribution of corporate profits, but are consistent with his repeated comments on how to efficiently use excess tax revenues generated by the AI boom. The officials are currently accompanying the president on his Europe trip that began Tuesday.
The presidential office also clarified that the president was not referring to any particular company or issues and that his remarks were aimed at addressing the challenges that may arise during the transition to an AI era.
"They were not remarks about certain companies or issues," it said in a released statement, adding the president was referring to the "tasks of the time that (we) may face at some point in order to sustain the capitalist market order during the transition to the AI era."
In a press conference held Monday to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration on June 4, the president said using increased tax revenues stemming from increased corporate earnings due to the AI boom was a completely different issue from utilizing corporate earnings themselves or imposing additional taxes on such profits to that end.
He also noted that foreign firms, as well as local businesses, may stop investing in South Korea altogether if the country tries to impose additional taxes on their increased profits in an attempt to share the so-called "fruits" of AI-driven growth.
"It is a difficult issue" but one that cannot be ignored altogether, he has said, adding the issue may require and soon lead to international discussions.
hague@yna.co.kr
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