South Korea PM, Trump discuss possible talks with North Korea’s Kim, Yonhap says

The South Korean PM said Trump was the only person who could resolve issues on the Korean peninsula. Read more at straitstimes.com.

WASHINGTON - South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and US President Donald Trump discussed possible reopening of talks between Mr Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a meeting in Washington, Yonhap news agency reported on March 14.

Mr Kim told Mr Trump he was the only Western leader to have had dialogue with North Korea’s Mr Kim and was currently the only person who could resolve issues on the Korean peninsula, Yonhap quoted Mr Kim as telling reporters in Washington.

“President Trump said he was curious if Kim wants to talk to the US or him and asked about my views on that,” Mr Kim was quoted as saying.

Mr Kim did not say what specific suggestions he made to Mr Trump but said he told Mr Trump that recent comments by Pyongyang indicated Mr Kim may be open to dialogue with the US, Yonhap said. Mr Trump showed much interest in the topic, Mr Kim added.

Mr Trump met Mr Kim, the North Korean leader, for three rounds of talks in 2018 and 2019 to negotiate better relations and a path for Pyongyang to end its nuclear weapons programme, but the talks stalled when Mr Trump was voted out of office.

A South Korean official confirmed the March 13 meeting between Mr Kim and Mr Trump but gave no other details. Mr Kim’s office in Seoul did not respond to calls seeking confirmation.