South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung is pushing for a step-by-step approach to end the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear program.

He said the first goal would be to halt advances in the North’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

Later stages would roll back its arsenal and move toward dismantlement.

Political and economic concessions would be offered for each step forward.

Lee said a phased approach of stopping, reduction and dismantlement is practical.

He argued it is unrealistic to wait for complete denuclearization all at once.

In the meantime, he said, North Korea’s nuclear capabilities would keep advancing and the threat would grow.

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

He said both Seoul and Washington are willing to reengage with Pyongyang.

North Korea has refused dialogue and recently increased its weapons testing.

It dismissed Trump’s decision last month to scale back a major military exercise with South Korea.

Pyongyang has since conducted three rounds of weapons launches.

Experts say North Korea likely wants bigger U.S. concessions.

Some worry Lee’s approach could let North Korea win concessions, like sanctions relief, without fully giving up its nuclear program.

Lee said negotiators must show the North that moving toward lasting peace is a realistic path to a secure future.

Lee also said both South Korea and the United States remain open to dialogue without preconditions.

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