Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump voiced confidence on Friday that tensions with North Korea can be resolved, despite a prolonged diplomatic freeze and Pyongyang's continued weapons development.
Speaking at an Oval Office event focused on his international conflict resolution efforts, Trump was asked about reports that he had recently written to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. While he did not directly confirm the correspondence, Trump emphasized his personal rapport with Kim.
“I’ve always had a good relationship with Kim Jong Un — we get along really well,” Trump said. “So we’ll see what happens. If there’s a potential conflict, I believe we can work it out. And if there is one, it won’t involve us.”
Earlier in June, NK News, a Seoul-based outlet tracking North Korean affairs, reported that North Korea's UN mission in New York had declined to receive a letter purportedly sent by Trump to Kim.
During his first term in office from 2017 to 2021, Trump and Kim met three times and exchanged numerous letters — which Trump famously described as “beautiful” — in a historic attempt to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. However, talks collapsed in 2019 over U.S. demands for complete denuclearization, and no progress has been made since.
In his current term, Trump has acknowledged North Korea as a nuclear power. The White House confirmed on June 11 that Trump would be open to renewed communication with Kim, though it did not verify whether a letter had been sent.
Meanwhile, North Korea has continued to expand its nuclear arsenal and missile programs. The regime has also forged stronger ties with Russia, reportedly supplying weapons and troops in support of Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine — a move that further isolates Pyongyang from the international community and casts doubt on any immediate return to negotiations.
