Kim Jong Un says fond memories of Trump, open to talks with U.S. if nukes kept

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he has fond memories of U.S. President Donald Trump and indicated he would be open to future talks with the United States, but only if Pyongyang can keep its nuclear weapons, state media reported.

In a wide-ranging address to the rubber-stamp parliament, Kim recalled meeting Trump three times during his first term and noted that talks collapsed in Hanoi in 2019 over concessions Pyongyang was willing to make on its nuclear arsenal. "If the United States discards its delusional obsession with denuclearisation and, based on recognising reality, truly wishes for peaceful coexistence with us, then there is no reason we cannot meet it," KCNA quoted him as saying. "I still personally hold fond memories of the current US president, Trump." He reiterated that denuclearisation is not an option, telling lawmakers, "We will never give up our nuclear weapons." Sanctions, he argued, had helped the North grow stronger and more resilient under pressure.

Kim also added that he had "no reason to sit down with South Korea," even as Seoul’s new President, Lee Jae-myung, has sought to ease tensions with the North. "We make it clear that we will not deal with them in any form," he said. North Korea has in recent years declared the South its principal enemy and has blown up rail links and roads connecting the two countries.

Analysts said the lengthy and detailed justifications reflected equal parts confidence and desperation. "While outwardly aimed at foreign powers, the speech carried a strong domestic message, seeking to pre-empt instability," said Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

Kim has been emboldened by the war in Ukraine, according to analysts, securing critical support from Russia after sending thousands of North Korean troops to fight alongside Moscow. North Korea has become one of Russia's main allies since Moscow invaded Ukraine three and a half years ago, with Moscow and Pyongyang signing a mutual defence pact last year when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the reclusive state. Seoul has repeatedly warned that Russia is stepping up support for Pyongyang, including the potential transfer of sensitive Russian military technology.

The timing of the remarks, just ahead of Trump’s trip to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, appears calculated, said Lim Eul-chul of Kyungnam University. "It hinted at the possibility of a surprise summit, while also playing to Trump’s well-known yearning for a Nobel Prize."