NEW YORK — South Korea’s president has asked U.S. President Donald Trump to take the lead in restarting dialogue with North Korea to ease military tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the country’s foreign minister said Friday.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told The Associated Press that President Lee Jae Myung urged Trump during talks at the United Nations General Assembly to act as a “peacemaker,” noting that Seoul would play a supporting “pacemaker” role.

“President Lee Jae Myung made it clear to President Trump that he will not be sitting in the driver’s seat,” Cho said.

“We want President Trump to exercise his leadership to pull North Korea to the dialogue table.”

Trump, who met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un three times during his first term, “welcomed” the request and expressed willingness to re-engage, Cho said.

Kim said earlier this week that he still has “good memories” of Trump but demanded Washington drop its insistence on Pyongyang’s disarmament as a precondition for talks.

Trump is scheduled to visit South Korea next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, fueling speculation of a possible border meeting with Kim.

He is also expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Cho emphasized that the world has grown “much more precarious” since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and that Seoul is deeply concerned about potential clashes with the North.

“We are compelled to explore dialogues with North Korea to reduce military tension, and at least we want to have a hotline,” he said.

South Korea’s military said Friday it fired warning shots after a North Korean merchant ship briefly crossed the disputed western sea boundary, underscoring the persistent volatility.

Lee, who took office in June after the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, has pledged to restore stability and focus on peace.

Cho said he has conveyed that message during meetings in Japan, China, and Washington.

He said he told Chinese officials that Seoul wants constructive ties but objected to Beijing’s installation of equipment in the Yellow Sea that infringes on South Korean sovereignty.

“We made it clear it must be removed. Otherwise, we would think about taking proper measures,” Cho said.

Cho also addressed a recent U.S. immigration raid on a Hyundai plant in Georgia that detained hundreds of South Koreans, calling it a major diplomatic issue.

He said Trump personally intervened and his talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio provided “a silver lining” by tackling longstanding visa problems for South Korean workers. — Agencies