Trump recognizes North Korea as a "kind of nuclear power"
US President says he gets along “very well” with Kim Jong-un and again signals a resumption of dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.
247 - US President Donald Trump said on Friday (24) that he considers North Korea “a sort of nuclear power” and expressed his desire to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his visit to South Korea. The Republican will make a five-day trip through Asia, which also includes stops in Malaysia and Japan.
When asked about the possibility of recognizing North Korea as a nuclear state, a condition imposed by Pyongyang to resume dialogue with Washington, Trump replied: “Well, I think they are a sort of nuclear power.” He added: “When you say they have to be recognized as a nuclear power, well, they have a lot of nuclear weapons, that’s what I’m going to say.”
The US president also reiterated his willingness to meet with Kim again. "I would like to, he knows we'll be there," he told reporters at the White House. "I don't know, we'll let him know; he knows I'll go," he said, adding that he maintains a good personal relationship with the North Korean leader.
In September, Kim Jong-un had signaled he was open to resuming talks with the United States, but imposed the condition that Washington abandon its demand for denuclearization.
North Korea has been under UN sanctions and international embargoes since its first nuclear test in 2006. Despite the restrictions, the country has continued to develop nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
