U.S. and South Korean officials believe that the chances of a meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are diminishing. Despite Trump’s desire to renew discussions with North Korea, the North has shown little interest in diplomatic efforts to manage its nuclear program. Reports indicate that North Korea has not responded to proposals for a meeting, and there is limited time before an upcoming regional summit in China next month.
North Korean media suggested that any agreement to meet would come with strict conditions, possibly including demands for sanctions relief. In the past, Trump expressed hope to meet Kim again this year, and South Korean intelligence estimated a 50% chance of a meeting during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November. However, Trump has recently reduced expectations for such a meeting, stating that he is unsure if there’s active interest in it from anyone.
A South Korean official confirmed that North Korea has not shown readiness for a meeting, and South Korea’s foreign ministry mentioned ongoing diplomatic efforts with the U.S. to facilitate talks as soon as possible. Recently, South Korea’s ambassador in the U.S. noted that there had been no significant progress toward a Trump-Kim summit.
A White House official emphasized that President Trump is still open to discussions with Kim without preconditions, but no meetings are planned at this moment. A senior U.S. official indicated that the responsibility now lies with North Korea to engage in talks. Some analysts suggest that there is less than a 10% chance of a meeting during the upcoming APEC summit, stating that North Korea might be waiting for a more substantial signal from the U.S.
China, which has strong ties with North Korea, has been involved in efforts to facilitate talks, but recent discussions between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have not led to any breakthroughs with Pyongyang. The U.S. maintains military presence in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea, which is estimated to possess between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads. Despite the historic meetings between Trump and Kim in 2018 and 2019, there were no tangible results. Any future meeting, if it occurs, might be announced suddenly with little notice.
With information from Reuters
