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President Donald Trump has indicated that he is open to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his trip to Asia.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: Just to give you a recap, the Trump–Kim relationship has been one hell of a geopolitical rollercoaster. It started with name-calling (Trump once called Kim “fat” and “short” and dubbed him “Little Rocket Man,” while Kim fired back by calling Trump a “mentally deranged dotard.”) Despite the rhetoric, the two leaders eventually met in a series of summits in 2018 and 2019, exchanged personal letters, and even described their bond in affectionate terms. Their relationship eventually fell apart once Joe Biden took office, as Kim froze diplomatic outreach and went back to threatening nuclear war. Since Trump’s return to office, Kim has said that relations won’t improve simply because of Trump’s comeback. Last month, Kim signaled openness to talks with the United States, but only if the US dropped its denuclearization demands. Kim added that he had “fond” memories of Trump.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, “I’d be open to it, 100%,” when asked if he would meet Kim Jong Un during his trip to South Korea. “He knows I’m going there,” Trump added, implying that the ball may be in Kim’s court. Despite Trump’s public openness, a senior US official clarified to reporters that no meeting with the North Korean leader is scheduled. Still, Trump encouraged speculation by saying, “If you want to put out the word, I’m open to it,” suggesting a possible informal or last-minute encounter similar to their impromptu 2019 DMZ meeting.
South Korean officials, however, are pushing hard for that meeting to happen. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, whose ministry manages inter-Korean relations, said there was a “considerable” chance of a Trump–Kim summit during Trump’s visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Speaking to reporters, Chung noted that “various signs” point to North Korea “paying attention” to the US president’s visit, and he urged both leaders not to “let the opportunity slip away.” South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who has long advocated for engagement with Pyongyang, echoed this sentiment during his August White House visit, suggesting Trump could even “build a Trump Tower” in North Korea to symbolize a new era of peace.
All of this is unfolding just days after North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles, which Pyongyang later claimed were hypersonic missile tests. The launch came ahead of Trump’s arrival in Busan and the high-profile APEC summit, where leaders from around the world will gather, including China’s Xi Jinping.






