US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he hopes to meet again with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, possibly this year, as he hosted South Korea’s new president Lee Jae Myung at the White House.
Awkward Start to White House Visit
Hours before Lee’s arrival, Trump took to social media to criticize what he described as a “Purge or Revolution” in South Korea, referring to raids involving churches.
However, during the Oval Office meeting, Trump downplayed his remarks, calling them a “misunderstanding.” Despite the awkward start, Lee praised Trump profusely, calling the United States under his leadership “not a keeper of peace, but a maker of peace.”
Trump on North Korea
Trump said he and Lee were aligned on North Korea policy. The US president recalled his personal diplomacy with Kim Jong Un during his first term, saying he knew Kim “better than anybody, almost, other than his sister.”
“Someday I’ll see him. I look forward to seeing him. He was very good with me,” Trump said, expressing hope for renewed talks this year.
Trump argued that North Korea had fired fewer rockets since he returned to the White House in January. While he has claimed to have “solved seven wars in seven months,” analysts contest the assertion.
During his previous presidency, Trump held three meetings with Kim. While the encounters reduced tensions, they failed to secure a lasting nuclear agreement.
Lee’s Flattery and Pyongyang Remarks
Lee, who took office in June after the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol, flattered Trump by suggesting that even North Korea acknowledged better relations under his leadership.
“I look forward to your meeting with Chairman Kim Jong Un and construction of Trump Tower in North Korea and playing golf there,” Lee told Trump.
Tensions Over US Troops and Military Bases
Trump also pressed South Korea to pay more toward the 28,500 US troops stationed in the country. He floated the idea of the United States seeking ownership of military base land, a suggestion likely to spark anger among Lee’s supporters on the South Korean left.
Trump further addressed sensitive historical issues, including the plight of “comfort women” forced into sexual slavery during Japan’s colonial rule. Lee had stopped in Tokyo before his US visit, a move praised by Trump as a step toward improved regional cooperation.
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