Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his openness to engaging with North Korea, but emphasized that "it takes two to tango," according to a senior administration official. This statement appears to urge North Korea to reciprocate and make efforts towards dialogue.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the official made these remarks during a telephonic press briefing, reaffirming the Trump administration's commitment to the "complete denuclearization of North Korea" and pledging continued alignment with South Korea and Japan in diplomatic efforts towards the North. This briefing occurred just before a summit between President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, where discussions were set to cover defense, technology, investment, and cybersecurity.
The official reiterated that while President Trump is open to engaging with North Korea, it does not guarantee forthcoming dialogue. The administration remains steadfast in its collaborative approach with Japan and South Korea. The remarks also highlighted the expectation for Pyongyang to contribute to the dialogue process, a gesture that was rejected by the previous Biden administration despite offers for unconditional talks.
These comments also aimed to alleviate concerns in South Korea about being excluded from any potential discussions between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. This concern arises amidst political instability in South Korea following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.
President Trump, in a previous Fox News interview, mentioned his willingness to reach out to Kim, describing him as a "smart guy." This has fueled speculation about a possible revival of personal diplomacy with Kim, reminiscent of the three summits held during Trump's first term starting with the historic 2018 Singapore summit.
Discussing trilateral cooperation, the official noted that during Trump's first term, three summits with Seoul and Tokyo were conducted on the sidelines of multilateral forums. The Trump administration continues to support these trilateral efforts, and while there may be minor adjustments, continuity in this partnership is expected.
The comments come amid questions over the Trump administration's continuation of trilateral cooperation initiatives that intensified under former President Joe Biden. The landmark Camp David summit hosted by Biden with leaders from Japan and South Korea resulted in several cooperative agreements, including a "Commitment to Consult" in case of shared security threats, real-time sharing of North Korean missile data, the "Freedom Edge" military exercise, and the establishment of a trilateral secretariat to institutionalize collaboration.