Washington DC [US], October 25 : US President Donald Trump stated that he is open to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his ongoing Asia tour, indicating a possible revival of high-stakes diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang.
The comments come as Trump embarks on a three-nation trip across Asia, with planned stops in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea. The three-nation tour will begin in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Trump is scheduled to attend the ASEAN Summit before proceeding to Japan and South Korea.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday (local time), Trump said he would be willing to meet Kim if the North Korean leader reaches out.
"I would if he would contact. The last time, I put it out over the internet that I'm coming to South Korea. If he'd like to meet, I'm open to it. Certainly," Trump said during a gaggle with the press.
Reaffirming his willingness to engage with Kim, Trump added, "I'd do it. I mean, if you want to put out the word, I'm open to it. You know, they don't have a lot of telephone service. They have a lot of nuclear weapons but not a lot of telephone service. I'm open to it. I had a great relationship with him, and he probably knows I'm coming. But if you want to put out the word, I'm open to it."
Trump's remarks echo his previous outreach to Kim Jong Un, which led to three historic meetings between the two leaders during his first term.
As per Al Jazeera, South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Friday said that there was a "considerable" possibility of a meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un during the US President's upcoming visit to South Korea.
"North Korea appears to be paying attention to the United States, and various signs suggest a considerable possibility of a meeting," Chung said, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
Trump and Kim have previously held three high-profile summits during Trump's first term, and both leaders have recently signalled interest in resuming dialogue.
Last month, Kim said he was open to talks with Washington if the United States would stop demanding that Pyongyang abandon its nuclear weapons programme, as reported by Al Jazeera.
At the conclusion of the three-nation tour, Trump is set to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the White House said.
White House Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday that Trump will meet Xi on the morning of October 30 in South Korea before returning to Washington. Trump is expected to arrive in Malaysia on Sunday morning.
Malaysia is currently chairing the annual meetings of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its partners. He will attend the ASEAN Summit from October 26 to October 27, marking his first participation since skipping the summits in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
After Malaysia, Trump will travel to Japan to meet the new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, where they will discuss trade agreements and security cooperation.
Following Japan, Trump will visit South Korea to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Gyeongju.
The crucial bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping will focus on trade tensions, rare earth exports, and fentanyl cooperation.