South Korea proposes nuclear freeze with Kim Jong Un in exchange for sanctions relief

South Korean president Lee Jae Myung has urged US president Donald Trump to seek a nuclear freeze deal with North Korea instead of insisting on immediate denuclearisation, arguing that sanctions have failed to stop North Korea from expanding its weapons programmes.In an interview with the New York Times, Lee said Washington could offer sanctions relief in exchange for Pyongyang halting further development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile technology.“I believe there is significant value in a trade-off between sanctions –– which are not particularly effective anyway –– and a stop to the development of additional nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile technology,” Lee told NYT.Lee argued that demanding complete denuclearisation under current circumstances would achieve little, as North Korea has continued to expand its nuclear capabilities while strengthening ties with Russia and China.“Aiming for denuclearisation under the current circumstances guarantees that nothing will be accomplished,” he said.Why Lee wants…