Anna Hartz
The two leaders have met before, but North Korea has given little public indication that it is ready to return to talks.
Talk of a new meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un has raised hopes of a fresh attempt to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Signs of dialogue
South Korean intelligence officials say a new summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump could happen “at any time”, reports Digi24. They also say there are signs of dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, although there is no confirmed evidence of direct contact yet.
South Korean lawmaker Youn Kun-young gave the assessment after a closed-door briefing with officials from the National Intelligence Service.
“Regarding a summit between North Korea and the United States, an analysis suggests that it could take place at any time,” Youn told reporters.
He said there were signs of dialogue, but no evidence of concrete communication between the two sides had been presented.
Trump has already said he expects to meet Kim again before the end of the year. The US president made the comment on August 19, reviving speculation about another summit.
Trump met Kim three times during his first presidency between 2017 and 2021. Their meetings produced several dramatic moments, but they failed to produce a lasting agreement over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.
Unhappy with South Korea
Trump has also taken steps that could reduce military pressure on Pyongyang. He cut short annual military exercises with South Korea, saying they sent an “inappropriate and hostile signal” to North Korea.
Trump has often spoken about his personal relationship with Kim. He has said the two leaders have a special understanding, despite North Korea being viewed by US intelligence agencies as a serious security threat.
So far, however, Pyongyang has not publicly accepted Trump’s offer of another meeting.
Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader’s powerful sister, said shortly after Trump’s announcement that she was not aware of any communication between Kim Jong Un and the US president.
North Korea has also continued military activity. Its forces recently tested around ten short-range ballistic missiles.
Pyongyang also condemned planned naval exercises involving the United States, South Korea and Japan in September, calling them a threat.
The latest signals therefore remain mixed. Intelligence officials see possible room for talks, but North Korea’s recent military actions suggest that a new summit is far from certain.
