South Korean President asks Trump to act as a "peacemaker" with the DPRK

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung asked US leader Donald Trump to become a "peacemaker" in the dialogue with the DPRK and reduce military tensions in the region. His words are quoted by the British TV channel Sky News.

Lee asked the US president to try to bring North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un back to talks. Trump allegedly "welcomed" the proposal, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said.

He said that the US president "expressed readiness to resume engagement with North Korea," although no comment has been received from the White House so far.

Trump and Kim met three times during the first term of the US president, when North Korea was accumulating nuclear weapons. The DPRK dictator considers this a key factor in the country's security and his future rule.

However, Kim has avoided any diplomatic relations with the United States and South Korea since the last talks in 2019, while Trump has repeatedly expressed hope for resuming dialogue with Pyongyang.

On Monday, the North Korean dictator said he had "good memories" of Trump, but called on the United States to drop the demand for nuclear weapons as a precondition for restoring diplomatic relations.

Trump is expected to visit South Korea next month to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, sparking speculation about his possible meeting with Kim at the border.

• North Korea accused South Korea of "hypocrisy" after the country's president said he would denuclearize the Korean Peninsula together with the US.
• DPRK considers its nuclear status irreversible, and US statements on denuclearization pose a "serious threat".