Donald Trump asked South Korean President Moon Jae-in to relay the message during the G20 summit in Argentina, Moon told reporters after departing from the country. Trump noted that he has “a very friendly view of Chairman Kim and that he likes him,” the South Korean leader said, as quoted by Yonhap News Agency.
The US president “wishes Chairman Kim would implement the rest of their agreement and that he would make what Chairman Kim wants come true,” Moon said. Trump and Kim held a milestone meeting in Singapore in June, where the latter agreed to give up nuclear weapons in exchange for unparalleled security guarantees for North Korea.
The relationship between Trump and Kim has had its ups and downs. Last year, Trump notoriously called him “Little Rocket Man” and threatened to unleash “fire and fury the likes of which the world has never seen.”
Pyongyang didn’t mince words either, calling Trump a “mentally deranged dotard.”
However, before and during the Singapore summit, Trump referred to the North Korean leader as “dear Chairman Kim.” In September, he called Kim “very open” and “terrific,” and said he and Kim “fell in love.”
Seoul said Moon and Trump talked denuclearization on the sidelines of the G20 meeting. They agreed that existing sanctions against North Korea will remain in place until the reclusive state denuclearizes in full.
This comes amid reports that Kim may meet with Moon in Seoul in the coming months, marking the first time a North Korean leader has visited South Korea. If made, the historic visit may also show his willingness to cooperate, Moon noted, according to Yonhap.
“I believe Kim’s Seoul visit itself will be a peaceful message to the world, and also a message of his commitment to denuclearization, commitment to the development of inter-Korean relations,” he stated.
Trump said he expects to meet with Kim as soon as January or February 2019. “We’re getting along very well,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. What’s more, under the circumstances he also promised to invite Kim to the United States.
