South Korea’s president has warned that North Korea is continuing to expand its nuclear programme at a pace that could allow it to produce material for up to 10 to 20 nuclear weapons each year, underscoring growing concerns about regional and global security.
Speaking at a New Year press conference on Wednesday, President Lee Jae Myung said Pyongyang was still generating significant quantities of nuclear material while simultaneously advancing long-range ballistic missile technology designed to reach the United States. He said the combined development of nuclear warheads and intercontinental ballistic missiles suggested North Korea was moving steadily towards what it considered a sufficient deterrent to ensure regime survival.
Lee warned that once they reach that threshold, the risk could spread beyond the Korean peninsula. He said surplus nuclear capabilities might eventually be transferred or exported abroad, creating what he described as a broader international threat rather than a contained regional challenge. Analysts have long cautioned that the proliferation risks associated with North Korea’s weapons programmes could intensify if the country seeks diplomatic leverage or economic gain through external transfers.
Despite the scale of the threat he outlined, Lee argued for a pragmatic and incremental approach to the issue, rather than a focus on complete denuclearisation in the short term. He said a freeze on the production of nuclear material, a halt to the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles and an end to any overseas exports would represent a meaningful step forward, even if broader disarmament remained out of reach. Such measures, he said, would reduce immediate risks and create space for further negotiations.
Lee added that he had shared this perspective with both US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, reflecting South Korea’s efforts to engage key stakeholders in managing the North Korean challenge. Since taking office in June, Lee has pursued dialogue with Pyongyang without preconditions, marking a shift from the more confrontational stance adopted by his predecessor. He has argued that sustained communication offers a better chance of stabilising the situation, even as North Korea continues to develop weapons.
So far, those overtures have gone unanswered. Relations have remained strained, with North Korea recently accusing South Korea of sending a drone into the border city of Kaesong. Seoul has denied official involvement, suggesting instead that civilians may have been responsible. The incident has highlighted the fragility of inter-Korean ties and the difficulty of rebuilding trust amid ongoing military tensions.
Lee’s remarks come at a time when concerns about nuclear proliferation and missile technology are resurfacing as central global security issues. For South Korea, balancing deterrence, diplomacy and alliance coordination remains a delicate task, as North Korea presses ahead with capabilities that, in Lee’s words, could soon pose dangers well beyond the region.
