Donald Trump has said he would like to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his upcoming trip to Asia.
I would. If you want to put out the word, I'm open to it, the US president told reporters onboard Air Force One as he departed for the region, adding that he had a great relationship with Kim.
Trump made history during his first term, becoming the first sitting US president to set foot into North Korea when they last shook hands in 2019.
His trip to Malaysia and Japan will see him meet a number of world leaders including China's Xi Jinping, amid trade negotiations sparked by Trump's imposition of sweeping tariffs earlier this year.
Trump has taken an atypical approach to North Korea—an isolated state largely entangled in its nuclear ambitions—initially taunting Kim as a little rocket man.
The pair met face-to-face three times during Trump's previous tenure in the White House but failed to reach a denuclearization compromise. North Korea has since carried out multiple missile tests, raising tension in the region.
Trump also acknowledged North Korea's nuclear capabilities, stating, I think they are sort of a nuclear power... They got a lot of nuclear weapons, I'll say that. Kim has indicated he would consider meeting Trump again but only if the US ceases its demands for North Korea's nuclear disarmament.
South Korea's Unification Minister has said the chance of a meeting during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum is significant. However, US officials clarified that such an encounter is not on Trump's agenda. Still, Trump's last meeting with Kim began as a social media invitation.
Trump will begin his trip in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit and is expected to arrive in Busan, South Korea, for the Apec summit.
While Trump seeks trade agreements with China amidst ongoing tension, observers are keen to see if Trump's approach towards North Korea will evolve, given the complex geopolitical landscape.
