Trump: "Will Engage with North Korea... Getting Along Well with Kim Jong-un Would Be a Great Asset"

U.S.-Japan Summit Held
Ishiba: "It Would Be Great If Trump Promotes North Korea's Denuclearization"

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his willingness to improve North Korea-U.S. relations, stating, "America will have relations with North Korea."

On the 7th (local time), President Trump made the remarks during a joint press conference held after the U.S.-Japan summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House.

Regarding North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, he said, "We have maintained a good relationship, and I think the fact that I get along well with him is a great asset for everyone," adding, "I get along well with him, and he gets along well with me. That is a good thing, not a bad thing."

During his first term, President Trump held the first and second North Korea-U.S. summits with Kim Jong-un in Singapore in 2018 and Hanoi, Vietnam in 2019. In June 2019, although it was not a summit, they met briefly at Panmunjom. With President Trump expressing a strong willingness to improve North Korea-U.S. relations, there is speculation that he may pursue holding a North Korea-U.S. summit during his second term as well.

Prime Minister Ishiba stated that it would be "great" if President Trump could help promote North Korea's denuclearization, and said, "It would be good if President Trump returns to office so that we can move forward toward resolving issues with North Korea." He also urged North Korea to repatriate Japanese citizens abducted in the late 1970s.