Trump Says North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Responded to Request for Talks Amid Shift on South Korea Drills

US President Donald Trump has said that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his recent request for a conversation, raising the possibility of renewed engagement between Washington and Pyongyang after years of limited diplomatic contact. The remarks came as Trump defended his decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, a move that has sparked concern among US allies in the region.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump suggested that communication between the two leaders had resumed. When asked why Kim had not replied to his outreach, Trump responded by saying that the North Korean leader had, in fact, responded. He described the exchange as “very positive” but did not provide details about the nature of the communication or any plans for future talks.

The comments followed Trump’s decision to reduce the scale of annual US-South Korea military exercises. The president argued that the drills were expensive and unnecessarily provocative toward North Korea. He also linked the move to South Korea’s refusal to support US operations related to the ongoing conflict with Iran, questioning whether Washington should continue bearing the cost of defending allies that do not fully support American strategic objectives.

Trump has long highlighted his personal relationship with Kim, pointing to the high-profile summits held during his first term in office. While those meetings eased tensions temporarily, they failed to produce a lasting agreement on North Korea’s nuclear programme. Since then, Pyongyang has strengthened ties with Russia and China while continuing to advance its military capabilities.

The latest developments have generated unease in Seoul, where officials and analysts fear that reducing military exercises could weaken deterrence against North Korea. South Korean leaders have reaffirmed the importance of the alliance with the United States, even as questions grow over Washington’s long-term commitment to regional security.

Although no formal meeting between Trump and Kim has been announced, the reported exchange has fuelled speculation that both sides may be exploring another round of diplomacy. Analysts remain cautious, noting that previous efforts produced limited results and that significant differences remain over security, sanctions and North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.