Donald Trump has stated his desire to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his upcoming trip to Asia. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump expressed interest by saying, I would. If you want to put out the word, I'm open to it, highlighting the good relationship he believes he had with Kim.
Trump previously made history as the first sitting U.S. president to set foot in North Korea during their handshake in 2019. His trip will take him to Malaysia and Japan, where he will engage with various world leaders, including Xi Jinping of China. This meeting is expected as both countries negotiate amid ongoing trade tensions.
Despite the stateside unpredictability, Trump’s approach to North Korea has been unconventional, with their face-to-face encounters during his presidency failing to yield agreements on nuclear disarmament. As Trump prepares for talks in Asia, North Korea has continued its missile tests, raising the stakes as Trump commented on the country's nuclear capabilities, stating, They got a lot of nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un remains open to dialogue, conditioned upon the U.S. dropping its insistence on complete denuclearization.
South Korea's Unification Minister expressed there is a considerable chance for a Trump-Kim meeting, especially with Trump's attendance at the Apec forum in South Korea. However, a senior U.S. official suggested that no meeting has been formally scheduled.
Trump's Asia visit not only aims to address North Korea's nuclear ambitions but also hopes to establish a forward path in U.S.-China relations amid contentious trade discussions.
