US President Donald Trump said on October 24 that North Korea "can be considered a nuclear power", when asked about the possibility of resuming dialogue with Pyongyang in the future.
Speaking to the press, Mr. Trump said they have a lot of nuclear weapons, implying that accepting this position could open up new opportunities for negotiations.
His assessment was made right before the trip to three Asian countries including Malaysia, Japan and South Korea from October 26 to 30. This is Mr. Trump's longest trip since taking office, with the highlight being the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Korea.
When asked if he was likely to meet North Korean President Kim Jong-un during this visit, Mr. Trump affirmed that he was ready to meet if given the opportunity. A senior US official said such a meeting was not part of the official plan, but did not rule out the possibility of change. Meanwhile, South Korean Unity Minister Chung Dong-young called on both sides to not miss the golden opportunity to resume dialogue.
Mr. Trump's statement reminded the public of the historic meetings between him and Mr. Kim Jong-un during his first term, especially the meeting at the Korean Border Defense (DMZ) in June 2019. At that time, Mr. Trump had crossed the border, becoming the first sitting US President to set foot in North Korea.
However, the negotiation process for denutiarizing the Korean Peninsula remains at a standstill. The two sides did not reach a consensus on how Pyongyang would abandon its nuclear program and what it would get back. After that, Mr. Kim Jong-un repeatedly declared North Korea an "irreversible" nuclear state. Pyongyang has not yet responded officially to Mr. Trump's new statement.
