South Korea Asks Trump to Mediate with North Korea
South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung asked U.S. President Donald Trump to act as a 'peacemaker' to persuade North Korea to return to talks aimed at reducing military tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told the AP on Sept. 26 at the United Nations. Cho said Trump 'welcomed' the request and expressed willingness to engage with North Korea again; the appeal comes as Seoul reported firing warning shots at a North Korean merchant ship amid heightened regional tensions and ahead of Trump’s expected visit to South Korea for APEC.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"A critical opinion piece arguing that South Korea’s new leftist president manipulated a White House meeting—using conciliatory optics and large investment promises—to avoid U.S. rebuke for domestic actions and a pivot away from U.S. alignment, while faulting Trump for not pressing Lee harder."
📰 Sources (1)
- President Lee Jae Myung asked President Donald Trump to serve as a 'peacemaker' to bring North Korea back to negotiations (reported Sept. 26, 2025).
- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun conveyed the request at the United Nations and quoted Trump as having 'welcomed' it and expressing willingness to reengage.
- On the same day South Korea’s military fired warning shots to drive away a North Korean merchant ship that crossed the disputed western sea boundary, highlighting immediate security tensions.