South Korea's president warned North Korea’s nuclear and missile advances pose global threats and urged diplomacy, including possible talks with Trump.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung warned on January 21, 2026, that North Korea produces enough nuclear material annually to build 10 to 20 weapons and is advancing intercontinental ballistic missile technology capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. He cautioned that a completed nuclear deterrent could lead to weapons exports, posing global threats, and called for pragmatic diplomacy, including a halt to nuclear and missile activities. Lee expressed hope that President Donald Trump’s direct negotiation style could help restart stalled talks, despite Pyongyang’s refusal to engage. South Korea denied state involvement in a recent drone incursion into North Korea, though one individual claimed responsibility for measuring radiation at a uranium facility.