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Leading South Korean presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung Monday said he would seek a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, if elected, Yonhap News reported.

However, the opposition Democratic Party's candidate admitted such an event would be "very difficult" under current circumstances.

"It is something that should obviously be done, but (I) am not sure if it would be possible," Lee told reporters during his visit to Ajou University in Suwon, south of Seoul. "It would be very difficult in the current situation."

South Korea entered the final week of election campaigning before it holds snap presidential polls on June 3, after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted from office over his failed bid to impose martial law on Dec. 3.

Lee, who lost by a thin margin to Yoon in the 2022 presidential polls, is leading in almost all surveys and will face his main rival from the ruling People Power Party, Kim Moon-soo.

Earlier today, Lee said he will pursue a framework of “centralized cooperation” with the international community.

“Korea's risk must be resolved in order to stimulate the economy and security of citizens,” he said in a statement on his Facebook page.

The ties between divided Koreas nose-dived during the presidency of Yoon, who bolstered defense and security ties with Japan as well as the US, which has more than 28,500 American troops deployed on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone under a mutual defense pact with Seoul.

“Promoting the restoration of South and North communication channels, including the military hotline, I will stop mutual tension-inducing behavior and manage the situation in a stable manner,” said Lee.

“We should only think about peace and unity in the Korean Peninsula.”