South Korean President Lee Jae-myung Urges Trump’s Role in Peace Talks, Jokes About ‘Trump Tower’ in North Korea
Seoul, South Korea – South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has called on former U.S. President Donald Trump to play a renewed role in efforts to foster peace on the Korean Peninsula, even making lighthearted suggestions that highlighted Trump’s well-known business persona.
Speaking on Monday, President Lee urged Trump to re-engage in diplomacy with North Korea, saying his influence could help restart long-stalled dialogue with Pyongyang.
“I would like to ask for your role in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Lee said, referencing Trump’s previous historic meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “I look forward to your meeting with Kim Jong Un, and construction of a Trump Tower in North Korea, and playing golf… I believe he will be waiting for you.”
The remark, though delivered with humor, underscored the importance Seoul continues to place on U.S. involvement in easing tensions with its northern neighbor. Trump, during his presidency, became the first sitting U.S. president to step into North Korea and held multiple summits with Kim Jong Un, though talks ultimately collapsed without a binding agreement.
Analysts say Lee’s comments were both a diplomatic nudge and a symbolic gesture, signaling South Korea’s willingness to keep the door open for unconventional yet impactful approaches to peace.
Whether Trump responds to the proposal — or entertains the idea of a “Trump Tower” in Pyongyang — remains to be seen, but President Lee’s appeal reflects Seoul’s continued search for creative pathways toward stability in one of the world’s most volatile region.
