Kim Jong Un has shared an awkward answer after President Trump requested to meet him in North Korea.
As the US President continues his high-profile Asia tour, hopes for a landmark meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un seem to be falling flat.
Kim's response remains notably absent despite the 79-year-old's open invitation to meet, signaling a willingness to rekindle diplomacy with the secretive regime.
Trump spoke to members of the media about Kim Jong Un before boarding Air Force One. Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty
Trump's Message to Kim Jong Un
Trump, eager to build bridges after years of tense rhetoric with North Korea, spoke candidly aboard Air Force One as he made his way to the first stop of his tour in Malaysia.
“I just had a good relationship with him," he told reporters.
"I would love to see him, if he wants to, if he even gets this message.
We haven't mentioned anything, but he knows I'm going over there. If he'd like to meet, I'd love to meet him."
In an attempt to drum up support from the media, Trump added, “If you want to put out the word, I'm open to it.”
A Shift in Tone from ‘Little Rocket Man’
This shift from the president's prior opposition to the North Korean leader, in which he once referred to Jong Un as “little rocket man," reflects a marked change in tone.
Yet, despite his openness, there's no indication that a meeting will happen as both US and South Korean officials confirmed that no formal plans are in place for any direct talks.
Trump wants to meet with Kim Jong Un. Credit: VCG/Getty
Kim's Conditions for a Meeting
Kim, however, has signaled in the past that he would be willing to meet with Trump, but only if the United States abandons its demand for North Korea to denuclearize.
"Personally, I still have fond memories of U.S. President Trump," Kim said in a speech last month, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
He added: "If the United States drops the absurd obsession with denuclearising us and accepts reality, and wants genuine peaceful coexistence, there is no reason for us not to sit down with the United States.”
Despite his words, the silence from Pyongyang continues.
The Sanction Dilemma
A key issue remains the US stance on sanctions, which were imposed because of North Korea’s ongoing missile and nuclear tests.
Trump has previously acknowledged North Korea's growing nuclear capabilities, telling reporters, "I think they are sort of a nuclear power... They got a lot of nuclear weapons, I'll say that," BBC News reported.
This could signal a shift in his approach, with some suggesting he might consider lifting sanctions if North Korea is recognized as a nuclear state.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun believes this could help bring Jong Un to the table, but no steps have been taken toward organizing a meeting.
Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump have met up before. Credit: Handout / Getty
Trump's Historic Meetings with Kim
The landscape surrounding North Korea has evolved since Trump’s first term, when he made history as the first sitting U.S. president to set foot in North Korea.
The two leaders met multiple times between 2018 and 2019, but efforts to negotiate denuclearization ultimately collapsed, and North Korea has continued to test its missile capabilities in the years since.
During these talks, Trump and Kim failed to come to any agreement over the future of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, with Kim insisting that denuclearization is off the table.
As Trump’s Asia tour progresses, the possibility of a breakthrough remains unclear.