President Trump is open to talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “without any preconditions,” a White House official stated, at a time when South Korea’s unification minister issued a warning about Pyongyang’s missiles potentially reaching the U.S. mainland.
“President Trump, during his initial term, conducted three historic summits with Kim Jong Un that contributed to the stabilization of the Korean Peninsula. U.S. policy on North Korea has not undergone any changes,” a White House official communicated to Digital. The official added, “President Trump continues to be willing to engage in dialogue with Kim Jong Un, unconditionally.”
South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young delivered a frank assessment in Berlin this week, informing reporters, “North Korea has now become one of the three nations capable of striking the U.S. mainland,” according to the . He stressed, “What needs to be recognized should be recognized logically.”
Digital’s request for comment on Chung’s statement received no reply from the White House.
Yonhap also reported that Chung remarked on Pyongyang’s “strategic position” being “different” now compared to 2018, when Trump and Kim convened their first summit in Singapore.
“Acknowledging this reality should serve as the starting point” in addressing the regime, Chung told reporters.
However, experts suggest that North Korea has long possessed the ability to reach the U.S. mainland using intercontinental ballistic missiles.
“They’ve been testing ICBMs for a considerable period,” noted Bob Peters, senior research fellow for strategic deterrence at the Heritage Foundation.
Peters further elaborated: “The question, then, for an extended time, has been whether they possess a warhead capable of being housed within an ICBM’s nose cone, which by definition travels exo-atmospherically, descends, and then impacts a target with a degree of accuracy, subsequently detonating to produce a nuclear yield. That’s been the fundamental question — do they have that capability? That’s not what it sounded like the South Korean minister indicated.”
Meanwhile, Kim has expressed that dialogue with the U.S. is achievable, but contingent on his terms.
State media quoted Kim as declaring, “If the United States relinquishes its absurd obsession with our denuclearization and acknowledges current realities, and truly desires peaceful coexistence, there is no reason for us not to engage in discussions with the United States.”
A prospective meeting with Kim would mark Trump’s fourth face-to-face encounter with the dictator, occurring at a time when his nation has once again exhibited increased hostility toward U.S. interests.
In July, the White House indicated that Trump “remains open to engaging with Leader Kim to achieve a fully denuclearized North Korea.” Nevertheless, North Korea asserted it would not meet the U.S. president if he were to insist on denuclearization.
On Monday, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son Gyong informed the United Nations General Assembly that his country would never abandon its nuclear program, .
Trump is scheduled later this month for an economic leaders’ summit with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. A senior U.S. official confirmed that a Demilitarized Zone meeting with Kim is not currently planned.
Reports have indicated that Trump might meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, taking place Oct. 30-Nov. 1, though arrangements are still being finalized.
During a call last month, Xi invited Trump and first lady Melania Trump to visit China. Trump extended a reciprocal invitation.
The same official mentioned that progress on nuclear discussions depends on China.
“The primary requirement would be for the Chinese to acknowledge and be more transparent about its own programs,” the official stated.
U.S. estimations place China’s nuclear arsenal at approximately 600 warheads in 2024, with projections suggesting 1,000 by 2030. North Korea is believed to possess around 50 warheads, with sufficient fissile material for up to 90.
Last year, Pyongyang declared an “irreversible hegemonic position” subsequent to test-firing its Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile, which North Korea has claimed possesses the capability to strike the American mainland.
Trump is strengthening deterrence efforts even as he keeps open the possibility of “talks without preconditions.”