US President Donald Trump said on Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his recent efforts to re-establish direct communication, without providing details about the response.
The comments came a day after Trump ordered the United States to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea and described North Korea as “unthreatening and respectful.” Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in reviving diplomacy with Kim, with the two leaders having held summits in 2018 and 2019 during his first term.
Asked why Kim had not responded to his attempts to reengage, Trump said, “he has.” White House officials and North Korea’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately comment on the remarks.
Trump’s decision to scale back military drills with South Korea was attributed to their cost and Seoul’s refusal to participate in actions against Iran. North Korea has long condemned the exercises as preparations for war.
Relations between Trump and Kim were a major feature of Trump’s first presidency, but negotiations collapsed in 2019 over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme. Since then, North Korea has strengthened its ties with Russia while maintaining close relations with China. North Korean troops have also supported Russia in its war in Ukraine.
Despite North Korea’s cautious approach to Trump’s latest overtures, analysts believe another meeting between the two leaders remains possible. Victor Cha of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said Pyongyang may prefer to wait before responding more openly.
Andrew Yeo of the Brookings Institution said a meeting could benefit Kim, particularly in terms of international status and reputation. He noted that North Korea’s stronger relationships with Russia and China could give Kim greater confidence in engaging with Washington.
Trump said, “Kim Jong Un has always treated me with great respect.”
“I understand him. He understands me,” he added.
North Korea made no direct reference to Trump on Tuesday. Its state news agency instead reported remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who said Moscow and Pyongyang were working towards a “new and righteous world order.”
Trump’s latest move also echoes his first-term decision to suspend major US-South Korea military exercises in 2018 in an effort to encourage dialogue with Kim.
Sydney Seiler, a former US National Intelligence Officer for North Korea, said the earlier move had produced limited gains but added, “Of course, it didn’t gain us that much at the time, but I don’t think we lost that much at the time either,” he said.
