Trump: "I Want to Meet Kim Jong Un in South Korea... Kim Also Knows About My Visit"

"They have a lot of nuclear weapons... 100% open to meeting Kim Jong Un"
Remarks seen as a highly calculated move to enable a 'surprise meeting' during the trip

On October 24 (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his willingness to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as he embarked on his tour of Asia, once again referring to North Korea as a "Nuclear Power" (a state possessing nuclear weapons). By appearing to acknowledge the reality that North Korea possesses nuclear weapons, Trump is seen as attempting to entice Kim Jong Un into a surprise meeting.

According to AFP, during a press briefing aboard Air Force One, President Trump was asked whether he was open to recognizing North Korea as a nuclear-armed state as a precondition for talks with the United States. He responded, "I think they are a kind of 'Nuclear Power'." He added, "If they (North Korea) say they must be recognized as a nuclear-armed state, well, they have a lot of nuclear weapons. That's what I would say."

This is not the first time President Trump has referred to North Korea as a "Nuclear Power." On January 20, the day of his inauguration, during a Q&A session with reporters in the Oval Office, he called Kim Jong Un a "Nuclear Power" and said, "I think he will welcome my return." In March, President Trump again referred to Kim Jong Un as a "Nuclear Power," suggesting that North Korea is on the same level as de facto nuclear-armed states such as India and Pakistan.

Observers note that President Trump's remarks reaffirm his realistic acknowledgment of North Korea's possession of multiple nuclear weapons. The Trump administration has consistently stated, "The U.S. policy toward North Korea remains unchanged." This indicates that there has been no shift in the longstanding U.S. principle and objective of achieving the complete denuclearization of North Korea.

At the same time, President Trump strongly expressed his desire to meet with Kim Jong Un. When asked about the possibility of meeting Kim, he replied, "I would like to do that. He (Kim Jong Un) knows we are going in that direction." He emphasized, "I don't know for sure, but we have informed them (Kim's side). He knows I am coming." He further stated that he is "100% open" to meeting Kim Jong Un and added, "I get along very well with him."

President Trump's remarks about North Korea as a nuclear-armed state are seen as a highly calculated move to entice Kim Jong Un into a "surprise meeting" during his visit to South Korea (October 29-30) for the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit in Gyeongju. Depending on Kim Jong Un's response, there is growing interest in whether the "surprise meeting" between President Trump and Kim Jong Un at Panmunjom in June 2019 could be reenacted.

Earlier, a senior Trump administration official, during a press briefing with the media, was asked whether President Trump might meet Kim Jong Un. The official replied, "Of course, the President has expressed his willingness to meet Kim Jong Un in the future, but it is not on the itinerary for this trip." However, the official added, "Of course, things could change."

Additionally, President Trump announced that he would discuss the Taiwan issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to South Korea. He said, "The Taiwan issue will be one of the topics discussed during my meeting with President Xi." President Trump and President Xi are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting in Busan on October 30, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju. President Trump also stated that Jimmy Lai, a prominent anti-China figure and former owner of Hong Kong's Apple Daily (which ceased publication in 2021), who has been detained for several years, should be released.

Furthermore, President Trump expressed his anticipation of meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during his Asia tour and mentioned the possibility of considering tariff reductions. Regarding the war in Ukraine, he said he believes in Russia's willingness to resolve the conflict and emphasized his expectation of China's assistance in the peace negotiations.

On the night of October 24 (October 25 midday in Asia), President Trump departed Washington, D.C. aboard Air Force One, beginning a five-day, four-night trip to Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea in succession.