Trump Avoids Answering If Denuclearization Remains the Goal for U.S.-North Korea Talks

▲ U.S. President Donald Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump avoided giving a direct answer on local time the 19th when asked whether the goal of resuming dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un remains the "denuclearization of North Korea," instead stating, "I have a good relationship with Kim Jong-un."

When asked at the White House that day, "Is the goal of resuming relations with Chairman Kim still denuclearization, and why do you think it will succeed this time?", President Trump replied, "I don't want to talk about that," and made the remarks.

This has led to interpretations that he may be mindful of how setting denuclearization as a goal could drain the momentum for resuming U.S.-North Korea talks, especially given expectations that Pyongyang might put forward the recognition of its status as a nuclear-armed state as a precondition for a summit.

Previously, during his first term, President Trump met with Chairman Kim three times for denuclearization negotiations, but they yielded little tangible results.

President Trump said, "He didn't like Biden, he didn't like Obama, he didn't like anybody, but he liked me," adding, "I got along really well with him and we had great meetings."

He added, "Not just the United States, but other countries like Japan, South Korea, and others are much safer when I am president than when someone else is president."

President Trump also reiterated the background behind his previous order to scale down joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises, saying, "I don't like the fact that we hold massive military exercises targeting North Korea."

Regarding the joint South Korea-U.S. exercises, he stated, "Frankly, it's very insulting to someone who has behaved very well, at least during my term."

The person President Trump referred to is believed to be Chairman Kim.

President Trump further emphasized, "I have a friendly relationship with him [Kim], and I don't see anything happening for at least the next two and a half years. It won't happen while I'm here."

In addition, President Trump repeated claims that South Korea rejected a U.S. request for support regarding the Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict involving Iran, saying, "I didn't feel good about it."

President Trump also stated, "South Korea actually imports 60 percent of its crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz."

He recounted his previous phone conversation with President Lee Jae-myung, saying, "I asked, 'Will you help?' and he said, 'No, thank you,' and I said, 'Fine. Thank you.'"

During this process, President Trump also remarked, "He made us a lot of money," which, in the context of the remarks, is presumed to refer to President Lee.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)

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