South Korea’s Unification Minister, Chung Dong-young, announced that there was a considerable chance that President Donald Trump could meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his trip to Asia next week.
The U.S. President is scheduled to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in South Korea next week and will use the opportunity to meet with Kim. President Trump has repeatedly discussed having a meeting with the North Korean supreme leader since re-taking office.
President Trump last met with the North Korean leader in 2019, shortly before leaving the White House for the first time. According to the Daily Mail, President Trump has stated that he hopes to have a meeting with Kim soon — perhaps even this year.
Kim reportedly stated last month that he had “fond memories” of President Trump and was open to discussing the matter if the U.S. dropped its “delusional” demand that Pyongyang give up its nuclear weapons. Officials in the South Korean capital of Seoul appeared to urge both leaders not to squander the opportunity.
The Daily Express U.S. reached out to the White House for additional comment. “I don’t want to miss even a one percent chance,” the minister said.
“They need to make a decision,” he added. While no official meeting has been announced by either government, South Korea and the United Nations Command halted tours at the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from late October to early November.
According to Minister Chung, North Korean forces have been spotted “sprucing up” areas near the JSA for the first time this year. The Daily Mail reported that forces were cleaning, pulling weeds, tidying flower beds, and taking photos around Panmunjom.
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President Trump has also reported his positive sentiments about meeting the North Korean leader. “I got along with him. He is not a religious zealot. He happens to be a smart guy,” the president told Fox News earlier this year.
In January, the BBC reported that there was little to no communication between Kim and then-President Joe Biden. Reports stated that, despite Washington sending various messages to Pyongyang, there was no response.
Friend or foe?
The possibility of President Trump meeting with the North Korean leader comes as Ukraine seemingly published a video showing a North Korean troop aiding Russia during the bloody three-year conflict. Ukraine’s General Staff announced Thursday that it gathered intelligence from a spy drone of North Korean soldiers launching strikes on Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast.
Video footage gathered by Ukrainian military intelligence was shared on social media and appears to show the North Korean troops launching strikes into Ukraine-controlled Sumy Oblast from Russian-controlled Kursk Oblast. Ukrainian officials are touting that this is the first public evidence of the utilization of North Korean troops.
In the social media post, Ukraine’s General Staff wrote, “North Korean UAV operators adjusted the fire of multiple launch rocket systems against Ukrainian positions.” It is understood that about 11,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Kursk after Putin struck a deal with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim.
