By Nancy Okojie,
President Donald Trump said Monday he “would love” to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his current Asia trip. The North Korean leader has said he would be open to meeting the US president if Washington drops its demand that Pyongyang give up its nuclear arsenal.
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump cross south of the Military Demarcation Line that divides North and South Korea, on June 30, 2019.
US President Donald Trump did not rule out Monday extending his Asia trip to meet Kim Jong Un, saying he “would love” to speak with the North Korean leader.
Trump headed to Japan on Monday, the next leg of an Asia tour that could see the US president and China’s Xi Jinping end the bruising trade war between the world’s largest economies.
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Speaking on Air Force One, Trump said he was hopeful of a deal when he sees Xi on Thursday in South Korea, while also indicating he was willing to extend his trip in order to meet North Korea’s Kim.
“I have a lot of respect for President Xi and we are going to I think… come away with a deal,” he told reporters en route from Malaysia, where comments from US and Chinese trade negotiators raised hopes of an accord.
As he left Washington for his Asia trip, Trump first added to speculation that he could meet the North Korean leader for the first time since 2019 while on the Korean peninsula, saying he was “open” to it.
“If he wants to meet, I’ll be in South Korea,” Trump said.
Trump is due in the South Korean port city of Busan on Wednesday ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, and will meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
South Korea’s reunification minister has said there is a “considerable” chance that Trump and Kim will meet.
Kim has said he would also be open to meeting the US president if Washington drops its demand that Pyongyang give up its nuclear arsenal.
