U.S. President Donald Trump said he was uncertain about meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a planned trip to China next month, leaving a possible return to direct talks unsettled.
Asked by a reporter at the White House on Monday about talks with Kim in China, Trump said he did not know whether they would meet and was unsure whether anyone was seeking a meeting. He described his relationship with Kim as good.
The remarks follow earlier indications that Trump expected another encounter. In August, he said he hoped to meet Kim later this year. On Oct. 12, he said a meeting might take place during his Asia trip.
Trump and Kim have met three times. Their first meeting took place in Singapore in June 2018, followed by Hanoi in February 2019 and Panmunjom on the border between North and South Korea.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Trump was open to talks with Pyongyang if they served U.S. interests. Pigott said Trump did not regard negotiations as a concession.
Trump plans to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen on Nov. 18-19.
