Lee stresses importance of US alliance, says submissive stance should be shunned

President Lee Jae Myung stressed at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday that the South Korea-U.S. alliance is central to Seoul’s diplomacy but that submissive conduct should be avoided. He said diplomacy must uphold South Korea’s dignity and national interests while managing differences with Washington. His remarks came amid restrictions on some U.S. intelligence sharing linked to the disclosure of a North Korean uranium enrichment site. Lee also cited the results of lengthy negotiations on U.S. investment projects.

Lee said South Korea’s diplomatic guiding principle is pragmatism and that national interests are the country’s top priority.

Washington reportedly restricted some intelligence sharing after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young identified Kusong in North Korea as a site housing a uranium enrichment facility.

Lee said differences between South Korea and the United States should be debated, raised and coordinated until they reach a manageable level.

South Korea’s Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha said progress had been made in intelligence cooperation but acknowledged limitations in high-level communication with the White House.

Lee said South Korea achieved results serving its national interests through the longest negotiations over U.S. investment projects.

Published Oct 13, 2026 10:52 am KST

Updated Oct 13, 2026 12:16 pm KST

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a cabinet meeting in Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday stressed the importance of the country's alliance with the United States but also noted a submissive stance should be shunned in pursuing diplomacy.

The president made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting, amid concerns over apparent friction in the Seoul-Washington alliance, highlighted by South Korea facing limitations in intelligence sharing by the U.S.

Lee said diplomacy should be focused on safeguarding national interests, while emphasizing that differences can arise between countries.

"Diplomacy should be pursued in a way that always upholds South Korea's dignity and safeguards its national interests (while) any submissive or kowtowing stance should be shunned," the president noted.

"The guiding principle of South Korea's diplomacy is pragmatism. The most important thing for South Korea is its national interests," Lee stressed.

His remarks come as South Korea continues to face restrictions on intelligence sharing by Washington, reportedly over the South Korean unification minister's previous remarks identifying North Korea's Kusong as a site housing a uranium enrichment facility. Washington is believed to have protested the remarks as a unilateral disclosure of intelligence shared by the U.S.

Some conservative local news outlets have accused the unification minister of jeopardizing the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

The president also said the South Korea-U.S. alliance is "very important" and constitutes the main axis of its diplomacy, which needs to be further advanced, acknowledging that differences could always arise between countries.

"(Differences) should be continuously debated, raised and coordinated," the president also noted, underscoring the importance of minimizing such differences to "a manageable level."

Lee referred to Seoul's recent deal with Washington on U.S. investment projects, saying that South Korea had achieved results that best served its national interests compared with other countries, through the "longest" negotiations.

"Going forward, (the government) will do its utmost to safeguard the country's national interests. When there are differences or misunderstandings, it will resolve or coordinate them," the president noted.

The previous day, South Korea's Ambassador to the U.S. Kang Kyung-wha said that progress has been made in improving intelligence cooperation between Seoul and Washington, although she acknowledged ongoing limitations in high-level communication with the White House.

"I acknowledge that there are limitations in our communication with the White House," Kang said during a parliamentary audit at the South Korean Embassy in Washington.

韩国总统李在明周二在内阁会议上强调，韩美同盟是首尔外交的核心，但应避免采取屈从姿态。他表示，外交必须在维护韩国尊严和国家利益的同时，管控与华盛顿的分歧。此前，韩国因朝鲜铀浓缩设施泄露而限制了部分美国情报共享。李在明还提及了韩美就美国投资项目进行的长期谈判成果。

李表示，韩国的外交指导原则是务实主义，国家利益是国家的首要任务。

据报道，在统一部长官郑东荣确认朝鲜龟城是铀浓缩设施所在地后，华盛顿限制了一些情报共享。

李表示，韩国和美国之间的分歧应该进行辩论、提出和协调，直到达到可控水平。

韩国驻美国大使康京和表示，情报合作方面取得了进展，但也承认与白宫高层沟通存在局限性。

李表示，韩国通过与美国投资项目进行历时最长的谈判，取得了符合国家利益的成果。

发布于2026年10月13日上午10:52（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月13日下午12:16（韩国标准时间）

周二，韩国总统李在明在首尔青瓦台主持内阁会议并发表讲话。（韩联社）

李在明总统周二强调了韩国与美国结盟的重要性，但也指出在外交活动中应该避免采取顺从的立场。

总统在内阁会议上发表了上述言论。此前，外界对首尔与华盛顿联盟内部明显存在的摩擦表示担忧，尤其是韩国在情报共享方面面临美国的限制。

李表示，外交应该以维护国家利益为重点，同时强调国家之间可能会出现分歧。

总统指出：“外交应该始终以维护韩国尊严和保障其国家利益为出发点，任何卑躬屈膝或谄媚的姿态都应该避免。”

李强调：“韩国外交的指导原则是务实主义。对韩国而言，最重要的是国家利益。”

据报道，韩国统一部长官此前曾公开表示朝鲜龟城是铀浓缩设施所在地，此举导致韩国持续面临来自华盛顿的情报共享限制。华盛顿方面据信抗议韩国的言论，认为这是单方面泄露美国共享的情报。

一些保守的地方新闻媒体指责统一部长危害了韩美同盟。

总统还表示，韩美同盟“非常重要”，是韩国外交的主要轴线，需要进一步推进，同时也承认两国之间总是可能出现分歧。

总统还指出，“（分歧）应该不断地进行辩论、提出和协调”，并强调要将此类分歧最小化到“可控的水平”。

李在谈及首尔最近与华盛顿就美国投资项目达成的协议时表示，与其他国家相比，韩国经过“最漫长”的谈判，取得了最符合其国家利益的成果。

总统指出：“今后，（政府）将竭尽全力维护国家利益。如果出现分歧或误解，政府将努力解决或协调。”

前一天，韩国驻美国大使康京和表示，首尔和华盛顿在改善情报合作方面取得了进展，但她也承认与白宫的高层沟通仍然存在局限性。

康在华盛顿韩国大使馆接受国会审计时表示：“我承认我们与白宫的沟通存在局限性。”