Trump says N Korea’s Kim has responded to his request for a conversation

Trump says talking to North Korea’s Kim makes the south safer

United States President Donald Trump says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his recent outreach, a day after ordering the Pentagon to scale back drills with longstanding ally South Korea.

When asked by reporters at the Oval Office on Monday why Kim had not responded to his request for a conversation, Trump replied, “How do you know he hasn’t responded?”

The US president went on to describe the exchange as “very positive”, without providing further detail.

Trump on Sunday instructed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with long-term Asian ally South Korea.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the annual drills were “not only costly … but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful”.

He also linked the decision to Seoul’s refusal to help with the US-Israel war on Iran.

Trump again criticised South Korea over the war on Iran on Monday.