US President Donald Trump says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his efforts to revive direct talks, raising the possibility of renewed engagement between Washington and Pyongyang.
Trump made the disclosure on Monday, a day after ordering the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, describing North Korea as “unthreatening and respectful.”
Asked by a reporter in the Oval Office why Kim had not responded to his outreach, Trump replied, “He has.” He gave no further details about Kim’s response.
The White House did not immediately explain Trump’s remarks, while North Korea’s mission to the United Nations in New York also did not respond to requests for comment.
Trump’s renewed outreach comes as his administration seeks to revive the personal diplomacy that marked his first term. He and Kim held summits in 2018 and 2019, but negotiations collapsed over North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme.
North Korea remains under international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.
On Sunday, Trump directed the Pentagon to reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, citing the cost of the drills and Seoul’s refusal to participate in US actions against Iran.
North Korea has long condemned the exercises as preparations for war.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform that the drills were costly and sent an “inappropriate and hostile” signal to a country that, under his presidency, had been “unthreatening and respectful.”
The move has added to speculation that Washington may be trying to create conditions for renewed talks with Pyongyang.
Trump and Kim’s relationship was a major feature of his first term, with the two leaders exchanging letters and holding two summits. However, their negotiations eventually broke down over the scope of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal and the sanctions imposed on the country.
Since Trump and Kim last met in 2019, North Korea has strengthened its relationship with Russia while maintaining close ties with China.
North Korean troops have fought alongside Russian forces in the war in Ukraine, while Kyiv said last week that North Korean-made missiles were used in a Russian ballistic missile attack on a steel plant in Zaporizhzhia.
Trump’s administration has repeatedly criticised Pyongyang’s military support for Russia. However, Trump on Monday described his relationship with Kim in positive terms.
“Kim Jong Un has always treated me with great respect,” Trump said. “I understand him. He understands me.”
North Korean state media made no mention of Trump on Tuesday but quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as saying Moscow and Pyongyang were working towards a “new and righteous world order.”
Analysts see chance of another Trump-Kim meeting
Despite North Korea’s previous reluctance to respond to Trump’s overtures, analysts believe another meeting between the two leaders remains possible.
Victor Cha, head of the Korea programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Kim was unlikely to respond immediately and could choose to wait.
Cha also suggested Trump’s renewed focus on North Korea could help shift attention away from difficulties surrounding the war with Iran, although he acknowledged that Trump appeared genuinely interested in meeting Kim again.
Andrew Yeo of the Brookings Institution said Kim could also benefit from another meeting with the US president, particularly in terms of his international standing.
He noted that Kim now has close relationships with Russia and China, but said there was still little for the North Korean leader to lose by engaging Trump.
“For Kim, it’s really about reputation,” Yeo said, describing a meeting with the US president as a matter of reputation and status and largely a question of timing.
Sydney Seiler, a former US National Intelligence Officer for North Korea, said Trump’s latest move had a precedent. In 2018, Trump suspended major Ulchi Freedom Guardian military exercises as part of efforts to encourage dialogue with Kim.
He said the suspension did not produce major gains at the time, but also did not result in significant losses for Washington.
