Trump open to meeting Kim Jong Un during Asia tour
Photo: Donald Trump, President of the United States (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump has not ruled out the possibility of meeting North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in the near future, according to his statement quoted by The Guardian.
Trump has embarked on an Asian tour that includes visits to Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea.
He is expected to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the final day of his trip. The US side hopes the meeting will lead to an agreement to end the trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Aboard Air Force One, Trump said he was looking forward to a "very good meeting" with Xi Jinping, one that could help avoid the introduction of 100% tariffs on Chinese goods starting November 1.
The president also fueled speculation that, while on the Korean Peninsula, he may meet Kim Jong Un for the first time since 2019.
"I would. If you want to put out the word, I’m open to it," Trump said aboard the presidential plane. "I had a great relationship with him."
Why Trump and Kim Jong Un met before
The two leaders met three times during Trump’s first term, in summits aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons in exchange for lifting sanctions. However, efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula ultimately failed.
Kim Jong Un recently said he would not oppose another meeting if Washington stopped demanding that Pyongyang give up its nuclear arsenal.
Last week, US media reported that Trump’s team had secretly discussed the possibility of such a meeting. However, there have been no direct contacts between Washington and Pyongyang, unlike during Trump’s first term.
Japanese outlet Nikkei wrote that the leaders could potentially meet in the Demilitarized Zone on the Korean Peninsula.
Before one of the previous summits during Trump’s first term, US special forces carried out an unsuccessful mission in North Korea.
