US President Donald Trump said Monday he was willing to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “at some point,” even as he launched fresh criticism at South Korea during the first White House visit of President Lee Jae Myung.
“Someday I’ll see him,” Trump told reporters when asked about the prospect of another summit with Kim. “We will meet at some point,” he added, according to AFP.
A Tense Start to Lee’s Visit
Lee, who took office in June after a snap election following the impeachment and removal of Yoon Suk Yeol, arrived in Washington for high-stakes talks overshadowed by Trump’s remarks. Ahead of the meeting, Trump accused Seoul of mishandling investigations into his conservative predecessor’s failed attempt to impose martial law last December.
Despite the tense backdrop, Trump welcomed Lee into the Oval Office and said he was open to renegotiating aspects of the U.S.–South Korea trade deal while also signalling possible engagement with Pyongyang, Reuters reported.
Lee struck a conciliatory tone, praising Trump and expressing hope that Washington would re-engage with North Korea.
Trade, Security, and Old Tensions
South Korea’s economy remains closely tied to the United States, which provides military support and nuclear deterrence on the Korean peninsula. Trump has repeatedly accused Seoul of exploiting U.S. protection, once calling the country a “money machine.”
During Trump’s first term, his relationship with Kim Jong Un swung between hostility and personal diplomacy. After trading threats and insults over Pyongyang’s nuclear programme, the two leaders met three times.
The first-ever US-North Korea summit was held in Singapore in June 2018. The two leaders then met for a second time in Hanoi in February 2019, and the last meeting took place at the Korean Demilitarised Zone in June 2019, where Trump briefly stepped into North Korean territory.
At the height of their unusual diplomacy, Trump even joked that he and Kim had “fallen in love” after exchanging letters, highlighting the unpredictable nature of their relationship.
