Kuala lumpur: U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his willingness to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his forthcoming visit to South Korea, provided Kim is interested in engaging. This potential meeting signifies Trump’s continued inclination toward diplomacy with the North Korean leader.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump made these comments while speaking to the press aboard Air Force One on Friday, during his flight to Malaysia as part of his Asia tour, which also includes stops in South Korea and Japan. Trump is scheduled to be in Korea on Wednesday and Thursday for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. He indicated his openness to a meeting with Kim by stating, “Well, I would if he would contact. The last time I met him, I put it out over the internet that I’m coming to South Korea and if he’d like to meet, I’m open to it. I’d do it.”

Trump’s previous meetings with Kim include their encounter at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019, following their
initial meetings in Singapore in June 2018 and Hanoi in February 2019. He reiterated his positive relationship with Kim, emphasizing that he “got along very well” with him and expressed his readiness to meet again, noting the limited communication channels available with North Korea.

In an online press briefing on Friday, a senior U.S. official acknowledged that a meeting between Trump and Kim was not on the formal schedule for Trump’s Asia trip but noted that “things can change.” Speculation about a potential meeting has been fueled by the White House’s statement that Trump remains open to discussions with Kim “without any preconditions.”

Kim Jong-un, in a recent parliamentary address, expressed his willingness to engage with the U.S. if Washington drops its demands for denuclearization, further fueling expectations of a possible dialogue rekindling between Trump and Kim. During his remarks en route to Malaysia, Trump referred to North Korea as “sort of a nuclear power,” highlighting his awareness of their
nuclear capabilities while maintaining a good relationship with Kim.

Observers have suggested that the likelihood of a Trump-Kim meeting during Trump’s visit to Korea is slim, given the short duration of his trip and other key engagements, including planned talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping.