Seoul: U.S. President Donald Trump currently has no plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his upcoming trip to Asia, though possibilities remain, according to a senior U.S. official. The official emphasized Trump's openness to future engagements with Kim during an online press briefing, as Trump prepares for a two-day state visit to South Korea coinciding with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju on October 31 and November 1.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the official highlighted Trump's willingness to meet Kim, even though a meeting is not on the schedule for this trip. This comment was in response to inquiries about a possible Trump-Kim meeting at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas. Trump's itinerary includes stops in Malaysia and Japan as part of his broader Asia visit.
Speculation about a potential meeting has been fueled by the White House's statement that Trump is open to talks with Kim "without any preconditions." Additionally, reports of North Korean authorities tidying up the Panmunjom border village and suspending field trip programs during the APEC summit period have added to the conjecture.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's administration supports Trump's initiative to reengage with Kim, aiming to foster inter-Korean dialogue to ease tensions and promote peace on the peninsula. During an August summit at the White House, Trump expressed his intention to meet Kim within the year, a proposal Lee endorsed, offering to facilitate Trump's role as a "peacemaker."
Trump's history with Kim includes three prior meetings: the first in Singapore in June 2018, a second in Hanoi in February 2019, and a third at Panmunjom in June 2019.