Trump Open to Renewing Contact with Kim Jong Un, White House Says

President Donald Trump is open to resuming communication with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the White House confirmed Wednesday, citing their prior friendly relations during Trump’s first term.

“The president remains receptive to correspondence with Kim Jong Un,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, addressing reports that North Korea’s delegation at the United Nations in New York had repeatedly declined to accept a letter from Trump to Kim. The report originated from NK News, a Seoul-based outlet that monitors North Korean affairs.

Trump and Kim met three times between 2018 and 2019, with Trump famously stepping into North Korea from the Demilitarized Zone during a 2019 visit. The two leaders exchanged what Trump once described as “beautiful” letters. Despite the high-profile diplomacy, the talks failed to yield significant progress on curbing North Korea’s nuclear program. In March, Trump acknowledged that North Korea remains a nuclear power.

Since those summits, Pyongyang has shown little interest in resuming negotiations. Efforts to re-engage come amid a shift in regional politics following the election of South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae-myung, who has vowed to revive dialogue with the North.

As a symbolic first step, President Lee on Wednesday ordered a halt to South Korean loudspeaker broadcasts—used to transmit music and propaganda across the DMZ into North Korea.

Still, analysts warn that restarting diplomacy may prove more difficult than in the past. North Korea has significantly advanced its nuclear and missile programs since the Trump-Kim summits and has deepened military ties with Russia. Pyongyang has reportedly supplied both weapons and troops to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

On Thursday, North Korean state media reported that Kim Jong Un sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirming North Korea’s unwavering support for Russia.