South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Thursday stressed the importance of regional security cooperation and pointed out inter-Korean military tensions remain a major stumbling block.
"Concerns about North Korea's persistent nuclear weapons development go beyond an inter-Korean security issue," he said in a keynote speech at an international forum in Seoul. "It is a grave threat not only to peace in Northeast Asia but also the non-proliferation regime of the international society."
The one-day conference, under the theme of "East Asia in the World: Prospects and Challenges," was held to mark the third anniversary of Lee's inauguration. His administration has staged a "Global Korea" campaign to elevate South Korea's standing in the international community.
Lee said Korea is the only country still divided by Cold War rivalries.
"Unless the remains of the past are removed from the Korean Peninsula, genuine multilateral security cooperation cannot be anticipated in Northeast Asia," he said. "It is imperative that the North dismantle its nuclear arsenal and take the path of openness and development as China and Vietnam have done. That is the only alternative that Pyongyang can take for its own sake."
The president, who repeatedly said Seoul is open for dialogue with Pyongyang, emphasized that establishing a peace regime and building an economic community between the two Koreas will pave the way for a new "blue ocean" linking the Pacific and the continent conducive to common prosperity in East Asia.