US President Donald Trump has stated his willingness to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during an upcoming trip to Asia, which includes stops in Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan. The two leaders last met in 2019, marking the first time a sitting US president entered North Korea. Trump's trip will also involve meetings with leaders such as China's Xi Jinping amidst ongoing trade negotiations. North Korea has previously indicated openness to further meetings, provided the US alters its denuclearization demands.
Proposed Meeting with Kim Jong Un
US President Donald Trump expressed his openness to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his upcoming trip to Asia. Speaking to reporters onboard Air Force One, President Trump stated, "I would. If you want to put out the word, I'm open to it." He also added that he "had a great relationship" with Kim.
South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, who is responsible for inter-Korean relations, suggested there was a "considerable" chance of a meeting occurring while President Trump is in South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum, according to news agency AFP. However, a senior US official told reporters, according to the Anadolu Agency, that a meeting with Kim Jong Un was not on President Trump's official schedule. The last meeting between the two leaders in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in 2019 followed an invitation by President Trump on social media.
Past Interactions and Denuclearization Efforts
President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un have met face-to-face three times during Trump's previous tenure in the White House. In 2019, President Trump became the first sitting US president to enter North Korea when he shook hands with Kim. These meetings did not result in an agreed denuclearization program.
Since their last meeting, North Korea's neighbors have reported the country conducting multiple tests of intercontinental missiles. When asked if he would recognize North Korea as a nuclear state, President Trump told reporters late on Thursday, "I think they are sort of a nuclear power... They got a lot of nuclear weapons, I'll say that."
Chairman Kim Jong Un previously indicated an openness to another meeting with President Trump, on the condition that the United States ceased pursuing its demand for North Korea to relinquish its nuclear weapons. According to state media, Kim stated last month, "I still have a good memory of President Trump."
Trip Itinerary and Other Meetings
President Trump's trip to Asia will begin in Malaysia, where he will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit. He is anticipated to arrive in the South Korean city of Busan on Wednesday ahead of the Apec summit.
In South Korea, President Trump is scheduled to meet with South Korean leader Lee Jae Myung. Lee Jae Myung had discussed peace on the Korean peninsula and the prospect of a Trump-Kim meeting during a visit to the White House in August. Lee told the BBC he was open to a deal in which North Korea agreed to freeze the production of its nuclear weapons.
Trade Discussions with China
President Trump's itinerary also includes a meeting with China's President Xi Jinping. This meeting occurs amid ongoing trade discussions between the two nations. Both countries had agreed to postpone additional tariffs while working towards a trade agreement. However, this understanding has been challenged following President Trump's statement that he would impose a 100% trade levy on Chinese goods due to Beijing's restrictions on rare earth exports. Rare earth minerals are crucial for various electronic products, with China accounting for approximately 90% of their refined form exports.