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Trump unlikely to meet with North's Kim during Asia trip

Published: 29 Oct. 2025, 17:05 Updated: 29 Oct. 2025, 18:47

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One as he travels from Tokyo to Korea, Oct. 29. [AP/YONHAP]

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said his focus is on Beijing, not Pyongyang, during his Asia trip, effectively confirming that a last-minute meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is unlikely despite months of speculation.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday, Trump said that his primary focus was on China, adding, “We’ll, at some point in the not too distant future, meet with North Korea.” The remarks were interpreted by some as an indication that there won't be a last-minute summit with Kim.

North Korea’s ruling party organ, the Rodong Sinmun, reported Oct. 24 that a groundbreaking ceremony for a memorial hall commemorating overseas military operations was held in Pyongyang on Oct. 23, with leader Kim Jong-un in attendance. [RODONG SINMUN]

Throughout his trip to Asia, Trump had referred to North Korea as a “nuclear power,” expressing hope that Kim would respond positively to a meeting. He even hinted at the possibility of easing sanctions. But Pyongyang, which had remained silent, responded by unveiling a strategic cruise missile launch just hours before Trump’s arrival in South Korea on Wednesday.

According to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), cruise missiles upgraded for ship-based launches were fired vertically on Tuesday and flew for about 130 minutes along a designated trajectory over the Yellow Sea before striking their targets.

“It is our responsible mission and duty to ceaselessly toughen the nuclear combat posture,” the KCNA said.

The report, published only in North Korea’s external-facing media, was seen as a pointed message to Trump and the international community, underscoring Pyongyang’s demand to be recognized as a nuclear state.

Brushing off concerns regarding the launch, Trump reiterated his willingness to meet Kim, saying, “He’s been launching missiles for decades, right?” He stressed that he and the North Korean leader have “had a really good understanding of each other” and expressed optimism about meeting him “at some point.”

“I also want to focus on China,” Trump said, adding that he hoped the attention would shift to his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for Thursday.

North Korea’s Missile Administration test-fired a sea-to-surface strategic cruise missile over the Yellow Sea on Oct. 28. [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]

Shortly after North Korea's missile announcement, the White House said Trump and first lady Melania Trump would attend a Halloween event at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday in Washington, meaning he would need to leave South Korea by late Thursday to make it back in time. Trump had previously suggested extending his trip to accommodate a meeting with Kim, but the Halloween schedule announcement was seen as effectively ruling out such a meeting.

Some observers suggested Trump's decision to meet with families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea was a politically calculated move in lieu of a summit. During a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the families, Trump said he would raise the abduction issue if he met Kim. North Korea has long reacted with extreme sensitivity to human rights issues, including the matter of abductions.

Family members of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Akasaka State Guest House in Tokyo on Oct. 28. [AFP/YONHAP]

A diplomatic source said the meeting with the abductee families may have been “a way to create political justification” should a summit with Kim not materialize.

Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow at the Washington-based Mansfield Foundation, told the JoongAng Ilbo that compared to during Trump’s first term, Kim has strengthened his strategic position and no longer relies on diplomatic, security or economic benefits from the United States.

He suggested that the decision to hold a bilateral talk between Washington and Pyongyang lies with Kim, not Trump.

In this June 30, 2019, file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump, left, meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the border village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone, South Korea. [AP/YONHAP]

He pointed to North Korea’s enhanced ties with Russia — secured in exchange for its military support in the Ukraine war — in addition to its resumed trade with China and cybercrime activities, which have virtually neutralized international sanctions.

Looking ahead, Klingner warned that Kim might propose a formal end-of-war declaration to Trump, who has long sought the Nobel Peace Prize, offering a symbolic gesture in return for implicit acceptance of North Korea’s growing threat.

In his upcoming meeting with Xi, Trump is expected to propose rolling back tariffs on Chinese fentanyl imports in exchange for resumed purchases of U.S. soybeans.

“I expect to be lowering that because I believe they can help us with the fentanyl situation,” Trump said. “We have to get rid of it.”

He also noted the issue would be tied to the farmers and soybean exports, a key concern for the U.S. agricultural sector.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right and heads of foreign delegations step onto a rostrum in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China, on Sept. 3. [UPI/YONHAP]

Trump had imposed a 20 percent tariff on Chinese fentanyl early in his presidency, accusing Beijing of supplying the key ingredient for the powerful opioid, which he claimed entered the United States through Canada and Mexico. Easing this tariff, especially amid criticism that Trump often backs down from threats — a sentiment captured by the nickname “TACO,” or Trump Always Chickens Out — could carry symbolic weight.

U.S. President Donald Trump, left, poses for a photo with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, western Japan, on June 29, 2019. [AP/YONHAP]

But Klingner argued the Trump administration has consistently retreated in the face of Chinese retaliation, despite claiming to stand up to Beijing’s “predatory practices.” He added that China has failed to make meaningful concessions.

Others suggested the move might be aimed at avoiding inflation during the U.S. holiday shopping season, with Thanksgiving and Christmas looming. Imposing high tariffs on Chinese imports now could risk triggering consumer price spikes.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KANG TAE-HWA [[email protected]]