South Korea's president has said he would accept a deal between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un under which North Korea would agree to freeze production of its nuclear weapons for now, rather than get rid of them.
Lee Jae Myung told the BBC of North Korea was producing an additional 15-20 nuclear weapons a year and a freeze - as an interim emergency measure - would be a feasible, realistic alternative.
North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2022 and vowed to never relinquish its weapons.
Previous attempts to negotiate have failed and Pyongyang has since rejected all invitations to return to talks.
So long as we do not give up on the long-term goal of denuclearisation, I believe there are clear benefits to having North Korea stop its nuclear and missile development, Lee Jae Myung said.
The question is whether we persist with fruitless attempts towards the ultimate goal [of denuclearisation] or we set more realistic goals and achieve some of them, Lee added.
President Lee, who entered office in June, wants to establish peaceful relations with North Korea and reduce tensions, which flared under his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached for trying to impose martial law last year.
The South Korean leader has been vocal about wanting President Trump to resume nuclear talks with Kim, which broke down in 2019 during Trump's first term, after the US asked the North to dismantle its nuclear facilities.
Lee told the BBC that he thought it possible the pair could come back together, given they seem to have a degree of mutual trust. This could benefit South Korea and contribute to global peace and security, he added.
The BBC sat down with the South Korean president at his office in Seoul, ahead of his trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday.
While it's clear the UN is falling short when it comes to creating a truly peaceful world, I still believe it is performing many important functions, Lee said, adding that reforming the Security Council was not very realistic.
His caution is understandable. The perils of relying too heavily on the US have never been more apparent, with both America's friends and foes caught up in Trump's ongoing trade war. Lee successfully managed to reduce tariffs on South Korea down to 15%, and during a recent trip to the White House he appeared to charm the president.
But then, a fortnight ago, US immigration officials detained hundreds of Korean workers who were building a car battery factory in Georgia – part of South Korea's commitment to move manufacturing to the US, while also investing hundreds of billions of dollars there. Lee's government managed to secure the workers' release a week later.
At home, Lee is presiding over a polarised country, shaken by months of political turmoil, after its previous president tried to orchestrate a military takeover. Yoon, who is now facing life in prison, stoked tensions with North Korea.
After entering office, he stopped the government in Seoul from transmitting radio broadcasts into North Korea. These broadcasts were known to anger Kim Jong Un, but were one of the few ways that North Korean people, who are increasingly isolated, could receive information from outside the country.
These gestures, however, have yet to bear fruit, with North Korea labeling Lee as delusional. But the South Korean leader remains optimistic that engaging with Trump could lead to a breakthrough.
