US President Donald Trump said he would consider extending his current trip to Asia to include a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump said, “I’d like to meet him if he wants to meet,” noting that he “got along great with Kim Jong Un” during his first term.
Asked if he would extend his stay in South Korea, Trump said: “It’s our last stop, so it’s pretty easy.”
Skepticism from Seoul
Nuclear diplomacy has long stagnated since talks collapsed in 2019. North Korea has continued to boost its weapons programs and now insists that the United States must recognize it as a nuclear power before talks can resume.
Diplomacy has stopped since 2019
Trump and Kim last met in the demilitarized zone in 2019 after an earlier encounter faltered due to disagreements over the easing of sanctions. Trump has repeatedly said he remains interested in resuming talks, though Pyongyang has signaled little willingness to return on their terms.
A visit to Japan is in progress
The potential Kim summit talks come as Trump arrived in Japan, the second of his three country stops in Asia. He met with Emperor Naruhito and will next hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister-elect Sanae Takaichi.
Pushing for a trade deal with China
The last part of the visit will take Trump to South Korea, where he is to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told NBC News that he expects the two sides to reach a deal to avoid Trump’s 100 percent U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. The move is meant to put pressure on Beijing over recent restrictions on rare earth exports.
