But on Wednesday, Donald Trump confirmed that he was unable to set up a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his visit to South Korea — ending days of intense speculation about a possible reunion between the two.
Just hours before Trump arrived in South Korea, Pyongyang announced it had test-fired cruise missiles off its western coast, a move widely seen as a message to what it called the country’s “enemies.”
While speaking about regional tensions, Trump added that he hoped to “straighten out” relations between North and South Korea during his meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
Lee, whose nation remains technically at war with the North, praised Trump’s outreach to Kim, saying it had created a “significant sense of warmth and peace on the Korean peninsula.”
Earlier that same day, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he still expects to see Kim again soon.
“At some point, we’ll be involved with North Korea. I think they’d like to, and I’d like to,” he said.
