President Trump on Friday said in a tweet that he would be willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea after the Group of 20 (G-20) summit that’s taking place this weekend in Japan.
Trump attempted to make a surprise visit to the DMZ in November 2017 but was forced to turn around due to bad weather that made it difficult for his helicopter to fly. Vice President Pence and other administration officials have visited the area before, as per The Hill.
“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 Friday.
No sitting U.S. president has set foot in North Korea.
North Korea had earlier described as “very interesting” Trump’s tweeted offer to meet Kim along the heavily armed border of North and South Korea. “We see it as a very interesting suggestion, but we have not received an official proposal,” North Korea’s KCNA news agency quoted the country’s first vice foreign minister, Choe Son-hui, as saying, reported The Guardian.
“I am of the view that if the DPRK-US summit meetings take place on the division line, as is intended by President Trump, it would serve as another meaningful occasion in further deepening the personal relations between the two leaders and advancing the bilateral relations,” Choe said, using the country’s official title Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. (Continued Below)
President Trump told reporters: “We’ll be there and I just put out a feeler because I don’t know where he is right now. He may not be in North Korea. If he’s there, we’ll see each other for two minutes, that’s all we can, but that will be fine.”
Trump stepping over the line of demarcation separating North and South Korea would be hugely symbolic, echoing a similar gesture made by the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in – with Kim’s encouragement – when they met at the DMZ last year, as per The Guardian.
“Sure I would, I would. I’d feel very comfortable doing that. I’d have no problem,” the President told reporters, adding that he believed Kim followed his Twitter account. “I guess he does because we got a call very quickly,” he said. (Continued Below)
Watch:
Question: "If you do meet Kim Jong Un at the DMZ tomorrow, would you step across the border into North Korea?"
President Trump: "Sure, I would. I'd feel very comfortable doing that. I would have no problem." pic.twitter.com/QpGR1lghsY
— The Hill (@thehill) June 29, 2019
President Trump: "Kim Jong Un was very receptive. He responded so we'll see. Tomorrow we're going to the DMZ. I said while I'm there I'll shake his hand. We get along." https://t.co/E7ydJzMs11 pic.twitter.com/ZlWlUEoyyy
— The Hill (@thehill) June 29, 2019
(Continued Below)
President Trump’s official tweets:
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
President Trump also updated and wrote on Twitter Saturday, “I am in South Korea now. President Moon and I have “toasted” our new Trade Deal, a far better one for us than that which it replaced. Today I will visit with, and speak to, our Troops – and also go the DMZ (long planned). My meeting with President Moon went very well!”
I am in South Korea now. President Moon and I have “toasted” our new Trade Deal, a far better one for us than that which it replaced. Today I will visit with, and speak to, our Troops – and also go the the DMZ (long planned). My meeting with President Moon went very well!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2019
(Related: HISTORY! President Trump Meets Kim Jong Un At Singapore Summit)
