South Korea’s president has asked President Donald Trump to take on the role of “peacemaker” and use his influence to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table, the country’s foreign minister said Friday.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun explained that President Lee Jae-myung urged Trump to lead efforts to reduce military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Trump, according to Cho, welcomed the request and signaled his willingness to re-engage with Pyongyang.
Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met three times during Trump’s earlier term, but their talks collapsed over disagreements on U.S.-led sanctions. Since then, Kim has avoided diplomacy with both Washington and Seoul while continuing to expand his nuclear arsenal.
“It would be fantastic if they met in the near future,” Cho said, adding that Lee told Trump he would not take the driver’s seat but instead act as a “pacemaker” while Trump assumed the role of peacemaker.
Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in restarting dialogue since returning to office in January. Kim recently said he still has “good memories” of Trump but insisted the United States must drop its demand for denuclearization as a precondition for talks.
Speculation is growing that Trump could meet Kim again when he visits South Korea next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. He is also expected to hold talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during the trip.
Cho said Lee’s appeal reflects growing global instability since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “We are equally worried about any possible military skirmish on the Korean Peninsula,” he said. “We are compelled to explore dialogue with North Korea to reduce tension, and at least we want to have a hotline.”
The call for renewed diplomacy came as South Korea’s military reported firing warning shots at a North Korean merchant ship that briefly crossed the disputed western sea boundary on Friday. Cho said the incident underscored the need for direct communication between the two militaries.
Lee, who won a snap election in June after the impeachment of his predecessor, has pledged to restore stability and strengthen South Korea’s democratic standing. Cho, a veteran diplomat and former UN ambassador, took office as foreign minister in July and has since emphasized peace as the government’s top priority.
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