Trump Says He Is in Communication with Kim Jong Un After Planned 'Quick Meeting' Falls Through, Leaving Room for Future Contact

[Financial News] President Donald Trump said he is in communication with Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, as he returned home after wrapping up his trip to China. The remark has fueled speculation that Trump may have tried to reach out to Kim during the visit. It suggests that Trump wanted contact with Kim, but the effort fell through because North Korea did not respond.
When asked aboard the presidential plane, Air Force One, on Oct. 15 whether he had discussed North Korea with Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, Trump answered, "Yes."
Asked about the outcome of the talks, Trump said, "As you know, I have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un. But he has been pretty quiet lately."
When he was later asked whether he was in any communication with Kim Jong Un, President Trump replied, "Yes."
To a follow-up question about what the communication involved, he said, "That is not important. I have nothing more to say about it, but what matters is that it is clear I have a good relationship with him. He has respected a cooperative relationship with the United States, and I hope he respects me as well."
Trump's remarks are also being interpreted as meaning that the United States has continued to seek backchannel contact with North Korea, but has received little response. It is possible that Washington also tried to reach out to Pyongyang during the China trip, only for North Korea to ignore the approach.
A senior official in the South Korean government had previously said, just before Trump's trip to China, that the possibility of a North Korea-U.S. summit appeared to be "hardly prepared."
Although talks with Kim did not materialize, Trump left the message that he remains in communication, which is being seen as a sign of his willingness to pursue further contact with North Korea. A source familiar with North Korea said Trump is likely to continue managing the issue by keeping it on the negotiating table.
However, dialogue between Trump, who seeks denuclearization, and Kim, who wants recognition as a nuclear-armed state, may remain difficult to realize for a long time.
In March, North Korea revised its constitution and added Article 89, stating that "command authority over nuclear forces rests with the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission (Kim Jong Un)." The move further clarified the chain of command for the use of nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, South Korea–United States relations continue to uphold the goal of North Korea's denuclearization.



rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter