Trump says Kim Jong Un responded after US scaled back South Korea exercises
President Donald Trump said Kim Jong Un responded to his overtures after he ordered a substantial reduction in joint US-South Korea military exercises.
Washington, United States. President Donald Trump said on Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had responded to his overtures after Trump ordered the United States to scale back military exercises with South Korea.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said Kim had responded but gave no further details.
Past summits
Trump said his relationship with Kim had been a dominant theme during his first term, including a series of letters between the two leaders, but had received less emphasis during his second term.
The pair held summits in 2018 and 2019 before negotiations broke down over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons arsenal. North Korea remains under heavy international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
“Kim Jong Un has always treated me with great respect and we met on numerous occasions, actually, two primary occasions, spoken and spent time. I understand him. He understands me,” Trump said.
Military exercises
Trump on Sunday instructed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, a long-term US ally in Asia.
He cited the cost of the drills and Seoul’s refusal to take part in actions against Iran.
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