Trump Postpones North Korean Leader Meeting Due to Timing Concerns

President Donald Trump said he couldn't arrange a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his visit to South Korea due to scheduling issues, but promised to work toward easing tensions between the two Koreas. The statement highlights the ongoing diplomatic stalemate that has persisted since their last meeting in 2019.

Speaking with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in the city of Gyeongju, Trump said, "We will work hard with Kim Jong Un and with everyone to solve the problems, because that's important." He had earlier expressed he would be "happy" to meet Kim again before heading to the Korean Peninsula for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit, but Pyongyang never publicly responded to the invitation.

"I know Kim Jong Un well, but we couldn't find the right timing for a meeting," Trump explained. The South Korean president welcomed Trump's invitation to Kim, saying it created "a great sense of warmth and peace on the Korean Peninsula."

Trump suggested he expects to meet Kim "in the not-too-distant future," adding, "At some point we will deal with North Korea. I think they want to, and I want to as well."

The last face-to-face meeting between Trump and Kim took place in June 2019 at the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea. Since then, relations between Washington and Pyongyang have remained frozen following the collapse of that summit over disagreements about sanctions relief and North Korea's nuclear concessions.

This diplomatic freeze carries significant implications for regional security. North Korea has continued developing its nuclear program during the stalemate, while South Korea remains caught between its alliance with the US and its desire for improved inter-Korean relations. Any renewed diplomatic engagement could potentially restart denuclearization talks, though past negotiations have repeatedly stalled over the same fundamental issues that derailed the 2019 summit.