U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would like to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before the end of this year.
Speaking to reporters ahead of his meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the White House, Trump emphasized the strong personal connection he has built with Kim.
“I have a very good relationship. I understand him. I’ve spent a lot of time with him, discussing matters we probably weren’t supposed to talk about. And I get along with him really well. I think North Korea has tremendous potential as a country,” Trump said.
When asked whether he wanted to meet Kim this year or next, Trump replied, “I’m meeting a lot of people, it’s hard to say, but I’d like to meet him this year.”
His remarks came during scheduled talks with the South Korean president, underscoring Washington’s ongoing diplomatic balancing act on the Korean Peninsula.
