South Korea Urges Trump to Act as “Peacemaker” in Renewed Push for North Korea Talks

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has asked US President Donald Trump to use his leadership to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table and ease rising military tensions on the peninsula, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Friday.

Trump “welcomed” the request and signaled his willingness to reengage with Pyongyang, Cho told the Associated Press, though the White House has not commented. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met three times between 2018 and 2019, but talks collapsed over sanctions, and Kim has since shunned diplomacy with Washington and Seoul.

“It would be fantastic if they met in the near future,” Cho said, emphasizing that Lee has asked Trump to take the lead role as “peacemaker.” Trump is expected in South Korea next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, fueling speculation of a possible border meeting with Kim.

The request comes amid heightened tensions: earlier Friday, South Korea’s military fired warning shots after a North Korean ship crossed the disputed western sea boundary. Cho stressed that dialogue and a military hotline are needed to prevent clashes and reaffirmed that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula “is imperative.”

Lee, elected in June after the impeachment of his predecessor, has pledged to restore stability at home and pursue peace abroad. Cho, a veteran diplomat, said the government is also engaging China and Japan while seeking to manage sensitive disputes, including maritime issues in the Yellow Sea and labor concerns involving South Korean workers in the United States.