Washington: As U.S. President Donald Trump expressed hope for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this year during his recent summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, attention has turned to the possibility of such a meeting occurring, potentially at an upcoming multilateral event in South Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the idea of resuming a summit between Kim and Trump was a focal point in Monday's discussions between President Lee and President Trump in Washington, marking their first summit since Lee assumed office in June. At the summit's commencement, President Lee expressed his hope for Trump to engage with Kim, envisioning a scenario where Trump could establish a "Trump World" in North Korea, possibly even playing golf there, and emphasized Trump's unique role as a potential peacemaker.
Trump responded with optimism and openness to the idea, stating, "We will work on that," and during a press availability, he indicated a desire to meet Kim within the year. This has fueled speculation about a possible Kim-Trump summit at the forthcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled to begin in late October in Gyeongju, South Korea.
Reports suggest that as Trump appears willing to attend the APEC summit, there is consideration from the government to invite Kim for a meeting with Trump during the event. Analysts speculate that if the meeting occurs, it might mirror their past encounter at the Panmunjom truce village in 2019 rather than being held in Gyeongju alongside the APEC summit.
The prospect of a meeting hinges on whether Kim will accept an invitation for dialogue with Trump, especially amid North Korea's strengthened ties with Russia and its recent gains in resource supplies in exchange for troop deployments. While Trump seems eager for high-profile international engagements, North Korea's position remains uncertain, as Kim Yo-jong, Kim's sister, has previously dismissed talks with the U.S. if they involve denuclearization demands.
North Korea's ambition for U.S. recognition as a nuclear power further complicates the likelihood of a Kim-Trump summit, with the U.S. maintaining its denuclearization goals. Experts argue that unless the U.S. shifts from demanding denuclearization to considering nuclear disarmament, Kim may remain reluctant to engage in dialogue.
Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, noted that Kim would likely expect tangible outcomes from any new summit with Trump, without which returning to the dialogue table would be challenging. Despite this, some experts perceive faint chances for renewed dialogue, referencing a statement by Kim Yo-jong in mid-August that indicated potential interest if the U.S. revises its approach.
Cho Han-bum, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, suggested that framing the talks around nuclear freeze or disarmament rather than full denuclearization could increase the likelihood of a meeting. This approach might enable Trump to pursue a "small deal" yielding tangible results, thus encouraging Kim to respond positively.
The historical context of Trump and Kim's interactions includes two summits in Singapore and Hanoi in 2018 and 2019, respectively, followed by a brief encounter in Panmunjom later in 2019. No further meetings have occurred since the unsuccessful Hanoi summit.