Trump: Getting along with Kim is a great asset to everyone

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he would "establish a relationship with North Korea's Kim Jong Un,” saying that “getting along well with him is a big asset to everybody.” President Trump, who has expressed his intention to promote U.S.-North Korea dialogue by referring to North Korea as a “nuclear power” since taking office, has expressed interest again in North Korea.

President Trump's remarks were expressed at a press conference after meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House on Friday (local time). The joint statement by the leaders of the United States and Japan released on the same day included wording such as “reaffirming our strong commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea,” and “confirm‎ing trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan is key to dealing with North Korea and protecting regional peace and prosperity.” It is the first time the new Trump administration specifies ‘complete denuclearization of North Korea’ in an official diplomatic document since its launch on Jan. 20.

‘Complete denuclearization of North Korea’ is the same expression‎ contained in existing U.S.-Japan joint statements, such as the meeting between former U.S. President Joe Biden and former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in April last year. Some view that the Trump administration's inclusion of this expression‎ in the joint statement reflects the U.S.’ position not to rush the U.S.-North Korea dialogue at the cost of abandoning North Korea's denuclearization. Prior to the summit, a senior Trump administration official remarked that “it takes two to tango,” emphasizing the need for North Korea’s response in U.S.-North Korea dialogue.

On the other hand, there is still the possibility of President Trump proposing a ‘small deal,’ such as a nuclear freeze or nuclear disarmament, by freezing or reducing the number of nuclear weapons to bring North Korea to the negotiation table. “The U.S. government specifying North Korea’s denuclearization in the joint statement is in response to Japan’s increase in the defense budget and measures to expand imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the U.S.,” said Ban Gil-joo, assistant professor at the National Diplomatic Academy. “While aiming for denuclearization as the ultimate goal, President Trump may present various conditions for dialogue to North Korea, such as ‘reducing joint ROK-US exercises.”


고도예 yea@donga.com