US President Donald Trump signalled on Monday that he is prepared to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and expressed willingness to revisit trade discussions with South Korea, even while harshly criticising his visiting ally, Lee Jae Myung.
The comments came as South Korea’s new President, Lee Jae Myung, arrived in Washington for his first official meeting. Lee assumed office in June following a snap election triggered by the impeachment and removal of former president Yoon Suk Yeol.
His visit was overshadowed by Trump’s fresh criticism of Seoul’s handling of investigations involving a failed martial law attempt by the previous conservative administration last December.
TRUMP LOOKING FORWARD TO MEET KIM JONG UN
The tension added strain to already sensitive talks, which hold major significance for Lee’s young administration. Still, Trump struck a more open tone during his Oval Office welcome, suggesting flexibility on trade and reiterating his willingness to engage with Pyongyang.
“I’d like to have a meeting,” Trump told reporters. “I look forward to meeting with Kim Jong Un in the appropriate future.”
President Lee, seeking to build strong rapport, praised Trump during the talks and voiced hope that Washington would take new steps toward diplomacy with the North.
The stakes in the relationship remain high. South Korea counts heavily on the United States for both its economic stability and its security, reinforced by tens of thousands of US troops and the American nuclear umbrella. Trump, however, has repeatedly argued that Seoul gains more from the alliance, once describing the country as a “money machine” that unfairly benefits from US military protection.
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With inputs from Reuters
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