Washington: Will Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un shake hands again? The possibility of a high-stakes meeting between the US President and North Korea’s leader is stirring global interest, six years after their last encounter.
Ahead of his Asia tour, Trump expressed his desire to meet Kim, hinting at a potential reunion during a conversation with journalists aboard Air Force One. “I’d like to meet. If you want to spread the message, I’m ready,” Trump said, recalling their “excellent relationship.”
In 2019, Trump made history by stepping into North Korea for talks, marking three face-to-face meetings with Kim. However, those discussions failed to yield a concrete deal on nuclear disarmament. Kim recently indicated openness to another meeting, provided the US does not demand North Korea to abandon its nuclear arsenal.
South Korea’s Unification Minister, Chung Dong-young, suggested that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan could be the stage for this diplomatic spectacle.
While no official meeting is confirmed, the prospect of a Trump-Kim rendezvous adds intrigue to Trump’s Asia itinerary, which includes the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia and talks with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in Busan. Trump is also set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping amid tensions over trade and rare earth mineral tariffs, which Trump threatened to escalate to 100%.
This potential meeting could rekindle old ties or reshape geopolitics, as the world watches whether these two unpredictable leaders can bridge their differences.