President Trump offered a surprise invitation to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to meet at the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
“After some very important meetings, including my meeting with President Xi of China, I will be leaving Japan for South Korea (with President Moon). While there, if Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!” Trump tweeted Saturday morning local time.
After some very important meetings, including my meeting with President Xi of China, I will be leaving Japan for South Korea (with President Moon). While there, if Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2019
Trump was in Japan for the G-20 summit, after which he was set to travel to South Korea for a two-day visit, but there had been no plans for formal talks with Pyongyang. Still, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. would be ready to resume talks with North Korea “at a moment’s notice,” should Kim decide his country is ready to discuss denuclearization.
The Hill reported that Trump had previously planned on visiting the DMZ while in South Korea but withheld the reporting until Friday’s tweet at the request of the White House, which cited security concerns. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said this week that the U.S. and North Korea were holding “behind-the-scenes talks” about a third summit between Trump and Kim.
If Kim reciprocates, it would be the first time the two met since the failed denuclearization summit in Vietnam earlier this year.
