The US President Donald Trump has expressed his desire to reestablish relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The President had a a curious camaraderie with the North Korean leader in his previous term. And talks between the two nations had gone surprisingly well. Trump has noq once again empahasised on this rapport and the importance of diplomatic engagement with the reclusive nation.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Trump told reporters, “We will have relations with North Korea and with Kim Jong-un.”
Trump also elaborated on his relationship with reflected on his previous interactions with Kim, stating, “I got along with him very well, as you know. I think I stopped the war. I think if I wouldn’t have won that particular election (2016), you would have ended up in a very bad situation. But I did, and we had a good relationship.”
Trump emphasized that his ability to engage with Kim was beneficial for global stability. “I think it’s a very big asset for everybody that I do get along with him. I mean, I get along with him, he gets along with me, and that’s a good thing, not a bad thing.”
He also noted that other countries, particularly Japan, see value in his diplomatic approach. “I can tell you that Japan likes the idea because their relationship is not very good with him [Kim Jong-un], and if I can have a relationship with not only him but other people throughout the world where there seem to be difficulties, I think it’s a tremendous asset for the world, not just the United States.”
Trump’s diplomatic outreach to North Korea marked a significant shift in US foreign policy during his first term. After an initial period of heightened tensions in 2017, during which Trump referred to Kim as “Rocket Man” and threatened “fire and fury” if North Korea continued its nuclear ambitions, the two leaders later established an unprecedented dialogue.
In 2018, Trump and Kim met in Singapore for the first-ever summit between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader. The meeting resulted in a broad agreement on denuclearization, though specifics remained vague. A second summit in Hanoi in 2019 ended without a deal after disagreements over sanctions relief and North Korea’s nuclear program.
Trump and Kim’s bromance
In a historic move, Trump also became the first US president to set foot in North Korea during a brief meeting with Kim at the Demilitarized Zone.
The US president had organised the last-minute rendezvous on Twitter, as it was then known, just 30 hours earlier when he suggested meeting Chairman Kim at the DMZ “just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!”
The impromptu invitation created a third and last incredible TV moment between a showman president and a once reclusive dictator.
Trump believs his special relarionship with Kim will only aid the talks,”I got along with him,” Trump added. “He is not a religious zealot. He happens to be a smart guy.”
The tensions between the two nations had subsided considerably as Trump was looking to mainstream the nation and connect it to the world. The region holds special significance for the US as they have strong military and diplomatic ties with North Korea’s neighbours Japan and South Korea.
Both Japan and South Korea have a weak equation with Pyongyang, however Trump can act as a direct bridge linking the nations in prospective agreements due to his apparent camaraderie with Kim.
Speaking on the US-North Korea relationship, Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba said that it “will be great,” if Trump can offer help in moving North Korea towards denuclearization.
“Now that Trump is in power again, if we are able to move toward resolving issues with North Korea I think it will be great,” Ishiba said.
However, the regional relations will be a bit more complicated to resolve this time. North Korea is an active participant in the Russia Ukraine war on the side of Moscow. While there are huge tensions in Seoul with the nation going through a particularly unstable period as it’s politics are being shaken up by the arrest of Westen backed former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
However Trump remains confident that his special relationship with Kim can realign and move the region towards a historic resolution. Whether he can pull this off only time can tell, for now all eyes remain fixed on the once again blossoming Trump Kim bromance.