Donald Trump has disclosed whether he will be meeting with Kim Jong Un as he continues his tour of Asia.
He was in Japan on October 28 and met with Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister.
During a ceremonial welcome at the Akasaka State Guesthouse, Trump appeared to bypass protocol.
Despite the presence of Japanese and American flags, he walked past them without bowing. It is customary in Japan to bow to the flag as a gesture of respect.
Despite this oversight, the talks with Takaichi were successful, culminating in a deal on rare earth minerals, according to BBC News.
Trump has now arrived in South Korea, having journeyed nearly 600 miles from Japan. However, he will not be visiting North Korea, as Kim Jong Un was not particularly keen on hosting him, even though Trump has stated they share a ‘good relationship’.
“Personally, I still have fond memories of U.S. President Trump,” Kim stated in a speech, as reported by the Korean Central News. He added: “If the United States drops the absurd obsession with denuclearising us and accepts reality, and wants genuine peaceful coexistence, there is no reason for us not to sit down with the United States.”
In response to the comment from North Korea, Trump appeared unbothered. When questioned about meeting Kim, he responded: “We really weren’t able to work out timing.”
According to Bloomberg, Trump remarked, “We have President Xi is coming tomorrow, and was that was something that obviously is very important to the world, to all of us.”
He also seemed unconcerned about North Korea’s missile tests prior to his South Korea visit.
North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency reported that its sea-to-surface missiles, fired on Tuesday, successfully hit targets in its western waters after flying for more than two hours.
The agency claimed these weapons will aid in broadening the operational scope of the country’s nuclear-armed forces.
Commenting from Air Force One, Trump told reporters: “He’s been launching missiles for decades, right?”
While a meeting with Kim seems unlikely, Trump reportedly offered to extend his stay if the North Korean leader made time for discussions.
He also suggested that sanctions relief might be on the table. However, Trump did not confirm whether he would address Kim’s condition that the US abandon its ‘absurd obsession’ with denuclearization.