Trump hints at renewed talks with North Korea

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday posted a photo of himself with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un from their first summit, a move that quickly fueled speculation he could turn to North Korea after concluding negotiations with Iran.

The post came shortly after Trump indicated he planned to sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict with Iran, prompting some analysts to view the image as an early signal of a possible diplomatic pivot toward Pyongyang.

Trump shared on Truth Social a photograph of himself walking with Kim through the gardens of Singapore's Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island, the site of the first North Korea-U.S. summit on June 12, 2018. He posted the image without any accompanying comment.

Cho Han-bum, a senior fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said the post suggested that North Korea could be next on Trump's diplomatic agenda. “It sends the message that North Korea comes after Iran,” Cho said. “Once negotiations with Iran are wrapped up, he appears intent on recreating the Singapore summit.”

Park In-hwi, dean of the Graduate School of International Studies at Ewha Womans University, offered a similar assessment. “If the Iran issue is brought under control, Trump will need another major foreign-policy initiative leading up to the U.S. midterm elections in November,” Park said. “The post appears to reflect confidence that he can address not only Iran but also the North Korean nuclear issue.”


이윤태 기자 oldsport@donga.com