South Korea's Lee vows 'pacemaker' role in potential US-North Korea peace talks

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has embraced the role of a "pacemaker" amid speculation surrounding a potential North Korea-US summit, expressing strong support for President Donald Trump's peace initiatives. Lee, who refers to Trump as a "peacemaker," sees the proposed talks as a crucial opportunity to lay the foundation for enduring peace on the Korean Peninsula.

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I empathize with President Trump’s dedication and efforts to create conditions for peace talks on the Korean Peninsula, even if it means that Korea-US military exercises and field training must be scaled back.

In recent social media posts, Lee has lauded Trump's dedication to creating conditions for peace talks, even if it involves scaling back joint US-South Korea military exercises. He described Trump's approach as a "big decision reflecting the profound thought he put into overcoming hostility and conflict to establish peace." Lee pledged to "do my best to fulfil my role as a pacemaker, contributing to President Trump’s efforts as a peacemaker."

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President Trump’s message strikes me as a big decision reflecting the profound thought he put into overcoming hostility and conflict to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.

This stance aligns with Lee's previous proposals during a summit in August 2025, where he suggested South Korea could facilitate US-North Korea dialogue. His latest remarks suggest a desire to leverage a potential US-North Korea summit to break the current freeze in inter-Korean relations. Lee previously vowed to "embark on a journey to end the war and replace the unstable armistice regime on the Korean Peninsula with a peace regime."

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Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea.

South Korean government agencies have echoed Lee's vision, reaffirming their willingness to support efforts to resume US-North Korea dialogue. The Ministry of Unification emphasized that ending the war and establishing a peace system should be the priority, encouraging North Korea to engage in talks with the US. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young stated that "Now is the time for t

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I hope that President Trump’s decision will not only build confidence and resume dialogue between the US and North Korea but also pave the way for a stable peace regime on the peninsula.