President Donald Trump says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his outreach and describes the contact as “very positive,” without providing details about the message, channel, timing or whether formal talks are planned. Trump argues that his personal relationship with Kim makes the Korean Peninsula “much safer.” Trump has also ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce upcoming U.S.–South Korea joint military drills, citing the expense, his ties with Kim and his view that the exercises send an unnecessarily hostile signal to North Korea. He additionally criticised Seoul for declining to assist U.S. operations against Iran.
E-Paper
