U.S. President Donald Trump offered to extend his stay in South Korea to meet with Kim Jong-un, but North Korea Response remains silent ahead of the APEC summit in Gyeongju. Pyongyang continues to ignore repeated invitations for dialogue.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he has a “very good relationship” with Kim. He said he could visit North Korea if the leader agrees. He also highlighted sanctions as Washington’s strongest leverage and said they could feature in future talks.
Despite Trump’s offer, North Korea Response shows no interest in engagement. Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui traveled to Russia and Belarus during Trump’s visit, signaling limited willingness to negotiate. Analysts say Pyongyang carefully controls its messaging toward Washington.
South Korea’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Kim appears to manage his message very carefully. Experts argue North Korea Response likely wants to avoid another Hanoi-style summit. In 2019, Trump demanded dismantling all undeclared nuclear sites, and talks ended without a deal.
Lim Eul-chul of Kyungnam University said North Korea sees Trump as unprepared for serious negotiations. Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies added that Russia and China support allows Kim to delay a meeting.
Park Won-gon of Ewha Womans University noted a surprise encounter remains possible because both leaders act unpredictably. South Korea is prepared for any sudden summit, including an impromptu meeting like the 2019 DMZ encounter.
Trump will attend the APEC summit in Gyeongju on Wednesday, meeting other regional leaders. However, North Korea Response leaves Washington and Seoul uncertain about direct engagement this week.
