Kim Jong Un recalls 'good memories' with Trump as he issues US nuclear warning

Source: The Independent

Monday 22 September 2025 03:06 EDT


North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expressed fond recollections of Donald Trump, while simultaneously urging Washington to abandon its prerequisite for denuclearisation before resuming long-stalled diplomatic talks.

Speaking to Pyongyang’s parliament on Sunday, Mr Kim underscored his firm stance against re-engaging with rival South Korea, a crucial US ally instrumental in brokering his previous summits with Mr Trump, according to state media reports on Monday.

Cooperation between South Korea and North Korea largely ceased following the collapse of Mr Kim’s second summit with Mr Trump in 2019, which faltered over disagreements concerning US-led sanctions against the North.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have since escalated, fuelled by Mr Kim’s accelerated weapons development and his alignment with Russia amid the war in Ukraine. These remarks coincide with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s departure for the UN General Assembly in New York, where he is expected to address nuclear tensions and advocate for North Korea to return to negotiations.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/asia/east-asia/kim-jong-un-trump-nuclear-weapons-b2831068.html