South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung wants to end the problem with North Korea’s nuclear program.

He wants to do it step by step.

He said the first goal is to stop the North from making better nuclear and missile weapons.

Later steps would reduce its weapons and then remove them.

In return, North Korea would get political and economic help for each step.

Lee said this plan of stopping, reducing and removing is practical.

He said it is not realistic to wait for full denuclearization all at once.

He said that while we wait, North Korea’s nuclear weapons would keep growing.

The danger would grow too.

Lee will share his plan at this week’s U.N. General Assembly meetings in New York.

He said South Korea and the United States are both ready to talk with Pyongyang again.

North Korea has said no to talks.

It has also tested more weapons recently.

It rejected Trump’s decision last month to make a big military exercise with South Korea smaller.

Since then, Pyongyang has launched weapons three times.

Experts say North Korea probably wants bigger concessions from the U.S.

Some people worry that Lee’s plan could let North Korea get concessions, like an end to sanctions, without fully giving up its nuclear program.

Lee said negotiators must show the North that lasting peace is a real way to a safe future.

Lee also said South Korea and the United States are still open to talks with no conditions.

He said the two leaders should build trust and find common ground face-to-face.