Washington [US], April 1: US President Donald Trump announced that he had contacted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and said that his administration may take some actions regarding interaction with Pyongyang.
"We have a great relationship, and yes, we have communication. I think that's very important," Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House on March 31, without elaborating.
President Trump described North Korea as a "major nuclear nation" and leader Kim Jong-un as a "smart guy".
President Trump made the remarks at a press conference amid speculation that he could resume direct diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
"I got to know him very well. I remember stepping across [the demarcation line], and then I walked across," President Trump recalled the event when he stepped across the inter-Korean demarcation line at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June 2019.
"Maybe I'll do something like that at some point," Mr. Trump stressed.
Earlier, in a press conference on February 7, Mr. Trump affirmed: "We will have a relationship with North Korea and with Mr. Kim Jong-un". The US leader said that his ability to dialogue with Mr. Kim is a great advantage for global stability . He emphasized that a good relationship between the two "is a good thing, not a bad thing".
Trump's diplomatic efforts with North Korea marked a major shift in US foreign policy during his first term (2017-2021). In 2018, the two met in Singapore for the first summit between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader. In late 2019, Trump became the first US president to set foot in North Korea, meeting briefly with Kim at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
