3 minutes of readingUpdated: Mar 14, 2026 08:40 am IST
A new diplomatic opening with North Korea may be under consideration after Donald Trump held talks in Washington with Kim Min-seok, during which the leaders discussed the potential for renewed commitment to Kim Jong Unaccording to a Yonhap news agency report cited by Reuters.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Kim Min-seok said Trump asked whether the North Korean leader might be willing to reopen communication with the United States. “President Trump said he was curious whether Kim wanted to talk to the United States or him and asked me my opinion on the matter,” Kim Min-seok said, according to Yonhap.
The South Korean prime minister said he conveyed his assessment that Pyongyang’s recent comments could indicate openness to dialogue, although he did not elaborate on the advice he offered during the discussion. He added that Trump seemed particularly interested in the possibility of resuming talks.
Trump and Kim Jong Un previously met three times during Trump’s previous presidency, beginning with their historic summit in 2018. The meetings were aimed at reducing tensions and exploring a framework under which Pyongyang could abandon its nuclear weapons program. However, the diplomatic process lost momentum after the second summit failed to produce a breakthrough, and subsequent negotiations failed to advance after Trump left office.
A South Korean government official confirmed that the meeting between Trump and Kim Min-seok took place on Friday in Washington, but declined to share additional details, Reuters reported. Kim’s office in Seoul did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while the White House also did not provide an immediate response about the unannounced meeting, the report added.
Kim Min Seok in Washington
The Washington visit also included a separate discussion between Kim Min-seok and JD Vance the day before. During that conversation, the South Korean prime minister highlighted the South Korean parliament’s approval of legislation that allows the government to move forward with a $350 billion investment commitment tied to agreements between the leaders of the two countries.
According to Kim’s office, Vance welcomed the legislative approval and said it established the legal foundation necessary to implement the investment initiative. He also stressed the importance of maintaining close coordination between Washington and Seoul as the deal moves forward, Reuters reported.
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Trade relations between the two allies have recently faced pressure. Earlier this year, Trump warned that tariffs on South Korean exports could rise to 25 percent if Seoul did not implement the agreed trade framework, which previously kept U.S. tariffs capped at 15 percent.
Despite such tensions, the United States and South Korea continue to maintain a close strategic partnership. The alliance includes significant military cooperation and the presence of more than 28,000 US troops stationed in South Korea.
At the same time, regional security developments appear to be evolving. South Korean media have reported that certain US missile defense systems previously deployed at Osan Air Base may have been relocated and could be sent to US bases in Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
