SEOUL – US President Donald Trump on Monday expressed his willingness to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying such a meeting could take place as early as this year. He made the remarks during a summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the White House.
Calling his ties with Kim “very good,” Trump said he expected to sit down with the North Korean leader “at an appropriate time in the future.” He added that he had already spent “a lot of free time” talking privately with Kim, noting, “I get along with him really well.” Describing North Korea as “a country of great potential, tremendous potential,” Trump stressed that he looked forward to exploring ways to move forward.
Trump also signaled that he would work closely with President Lee to achieve progress on the Korean Peninsula. Lee, in turn, expressed hope that Trump could “open a new path to peace” and play the role of a “peacemaker” in the region. Trump praised Lee’s approach, saying he seemed more inclined toward peace efforts than some of his South Korean predecessors.
The summit also touched on the long-standing issue of US military presence in South Korea, where nearly 30,000 American troops are stationed. Trump suggested he wanted the US to gain ownership of the land currently leased for major military bases. “Maybe one of the things I’d like to do is ask them to give us ownership of the land where we have the big fort,” he told reporters, adding that moving away from lease arrangements would be preferable.
Economic cooperation also featured prominently in the discussions. Lee expressed South Korea’s interest in joining the US shipbuilding and manufacturing revival. Trump welcomed the idea, noting South Korea’s strong reputation in the industry. “They build ships very well in South Korea,” he said, adding that he hoped South Korean firms would set up shipyards in the United States to help revive America’s shipbuilding sector. “We’re going to have them make ships here with our people, using our people, and we’re going to go back into the shipbuilding business again,” he added.
On regional cooperation, both leaders underlined the importance of trilateral relations among South Korea, the United States, and Japan. Lee said his recent summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had eased many past difficulties in Korea-Japan ties, clearing the way for closer three-way collaboration.
When asked whether he planned to attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Korea this October, Trump signaled openness. He said he expected to visit South Korea soon, possibly for a trade meeting, leaving the door open to further engagement in the months ahead.
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