As global tensions continue to simmer, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has resurfaced with a surprising remark — he says he still has “fond memories” of U.S. President Donald Trump and is open to fresh talks with Washington.
But there’s a catch: his nuclear weapons are not up for negotiation.
A Look Back at the Trump–Kim Summits
During Trump’s first term, the two leaders met three times in high-profile summits that grabbed global attention.
But the diplomacy hit a wall in 2019 in Hanoi, when disagreements over North Korea’s nuclear arsenal brought negotiations to an abrupt end.
Since then, Pyongyang has repeatedly declared its nuclear status “irreversible.”
The Nuclear Standoff Remains
Kim made it clear once again that denuclearisation is simply not an option.
He stressed that the U.S. demand for North Korea to abandon its weapons is “delusional” and insisted his country would never be forced to disarm.
According to him, giving up nukes would only leave North Korea vulnerable — a lesson he says the world has already seen elsewhere.
Sanctions and Defiance
Despite years of punishing United Nations sanctions aimed at curbing its nuclear program, Kim claimed the measures have backfired.
Instead of weakening his regime, he argued, they have helped build “endurance and resistance that cannot be crushed by any pressure.”
Cold Shoulder to the South
If Washington received a small opening, Seoul got the opposite treatment.
Kim dismissed South Korea entirely, saying he had “no reason to sit down” with President Lee Jae-myung, who has tried to thaw icy relations.
Instead, Pyongyang has branded the South as its main enemy, even destroying rail and road links between the two nations in recent years.
Analysts See Mixed Signals
Experts say Kim’s lengthy speech wasn’t just aimed abroad but also carried a message to his own people.
Yang Moo-jin, former head of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, noted that it reflected both confidence and desperation, an effort to project strength while quelling potential domestic unease.
Russia Steps In as a Strong Ally
Beyond the Korean Peninsula, Kim has been emboldened by new alliances.
North Korea has become one of Russia’s most reliable partners since the invasion of Ukraine.
Reports say thousands of North Korean troops and large shipments of weapons have been sent to aid Moscow’s war efforts.
Last year, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin even signed a mutual defense pact during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang.
South Korea Raises Concerns
Officials in Seoul have voiced alarm, warning that Russia may be providing Pyongyang with advanced military technology in return for its support in Ukraine.
Such a development would mark a dangerous escalation in the already fragile security situation across Northeast Asia.
Trump’s Upcoming Visit
Adding fuel to the intrigue, Trump is scheduled to visit South Korea next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju.
Analysts believe Kim’s carefully timed remarks may be designed to open the door for a possible surprise meeting — or at least to capture Trump’s attention once again.
Playing to Trump’s Ego?
Lim Eul-chul of Kyungnam University suggested the comments were no accident.
By invoking personal “fond memories” of Trump, Kim may be playing to the former president’s well-known desire for recognition — and perhaps even his long-rumored Nobel Prize ambitions.
What Comes Next?
The big question now is whether these words will lead to action.
Could Kim and Trump stage an unexpected reunion during Trump’s visit to South Korea?
Or is this just another round of calculated rhetoric from Pyongyang, meant to strengthen its bargaining power while keeping the world guessing?