Expanding His Role as a "Mediator" After Iran Airstrikes
"I Get Along Very Well with Kim Jong Un"
US President Donald Trump emphasized his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, stating that if there is a conflict with North Korea, "we will resolve it."
US President Donald Trump suggested the possibility of North Korea-US talks, stating, "If there is a problem with North Korea, we will resolve it." The photo shows them crossing the Military Demarcation Line together during the 2019 North Korea-US summit. Photo by Yonhap News
On the 27th (local time), meeting with reporters at the White House, President Trump said, "I get along very well with Chairman Kim," and added, "We will resolve any conflict." While he did not explicitly confirm reports that he had sent a personal letter to Chairman Kim, he reiterated his willingness to act as a mediator for peace, stating, "I like doing this. It is the right thing to do, and we can accomplish this."
In fact, during his first term, Trump attempted an unprecedented top-down approach by holding three summits with Chairman Kim Jong Un. Although North Korea-US talks effectively stalled after the breakdown of the Hanoi summit, there is now a sense that the diplomatic stage is shifting back to the Korean Peninsula following recent mediation efforts in the Iran-Israel conflict in the Middle East.
At the press conference, Trump mentioned the Serbia-Kosovo dispute and the India-Pakistan conflict, emphasizing, "We are resolving disputes in regions where we had not previously been involved. The North Korea issue is no different." He added, "Even if a conflict with North Korea arises, it will have nothing to do with the United States," but also stated, "We can resolve it."
Previously, US-based North Korea-focused media outlet NK News reported that Trump had drafted a personal letter to send to Chairman Kim Jong Un, but North Korea refused to accept it during the delivery process.
Trump's remarks regarding North Korea are interpreted as an attempt to make the previously stagnant North Korea-US relationship a new turning point. Analysts say that by announcing a series of diplomatic achievements, such as the airstrike on Iran's nuclear facilities and mediation of a ceasefire in Gaza, Trump is reinforcing his image as a "peace mediator" in his presidential campaign. Attention is now focused on whether a "top-down" dialogue between North Korea and the US can be realized once again.
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