President Donald Trump says he expects to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year, signaling a possible revival of direct U.S.–North Korea diplomacy. Trump
has emphasized his positive personal relationship with Kim and expressed confidence that the North Korean leader would respond well to renewed engagement.
The potential meeting could take place during Trump’s planned Asia trip in November, possibly around the APEC summit in China, although no official meeting has been finalized. The goal would be to restart negotiations over North Korea’s nuclear program, a priority during Trump’s first term.
The renewed outreach comes as the U.S. and South Korea have scaled back their annual joint military exercises, a move Trump has linked to his relationship with Kim. However, North Korea has criticized the exercises despite the reduction, suggesting that major obstacles remain.
Trump and Kim previously met three times during Trump’s first term, but those meetings failed to produce a lasting agreement on denuclearization. Analysts remain skeptical about whether a new summit could achieve a breakthrough, particularly because North Korea’s nuclear capabilities have expanded since the earlier talks.
