Trump may turn to North Korea after midterm setback, but Kim may not respond
Analysts expect Trump to seek foreign policy wins in his final two years, but see little incentive for Kim Jong Un to meet and warn that concessions could strain ties with South Korea and Japan.
US President Donald Trump’s midterm setback could prompt him to pursue renewed engagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Reuters reported on November 6, as analysts and officials in Asia expect Trump to focus on foreign policy during his final two years in office. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Reuters that Trump’s foreign policy decisions “have never been motivated by politics.”
Trump has been eager to restart talks with Kim. Korea National Diplomatic Academy professor Ban Kil-joo told Reuters that Trump may devote significant effort to foreign policy successes if he faces greater domestic constraints. Ban said there was a strong possibility North Korea engagement would form part of Trump’s effort to build a legacy and help a successor win in 2028. The report says Washington received no response from Pyongyang ahead of a regional summit in China this month where the leaders might have met.
Why Kim may have little reason to meet
Analysts cited by Reuters see little current incentive for Kim to respond to a US approach. Kim has previously said he was open to talks if Washington stopped insisting that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons. His sister, Kim Yo Jong, has said dialogue remains a path to peace while arguing Pyongyang sees no need for talks now and denouncing what she called Washington’s “hostile policy.”
Former US deputy secretary of state Stephen Biegun, who led North Korea negotiations during Trump’s first term, told Reuters that Pyongyang had little upside and potentially some downside in a meeting at present.
Why concessions could concern South Korea and Japan
South Korea and Japan oppose concessions that would set aside denuclearisation, Reuters reported. Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University, warned that shelving denuclearisation at a summit could undermine deterrence and create policy friction among Washington, Seoul and Tokyo. A senior Japanese official told Reuters that officials in Japan and South Korea fear being excluded if Trump deals directly with Kim.
Congressional influence after the midterms
Democrats take control of Congress in January, The National reported in coverage of the midterm results, giving them greater influence over military spending, oversight and foreign policy, but not an automatic veto over presidential military decisions. That shift provides context for the domestic constraints cited by Ban; the reporting does not establish how the new Congress would affect a North Korea initiative.
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Sources and context
- Trump could woo North Korea after midterm setback, but Kim may not respondReuters, republished by The Straits Times
- Iran sees opening after Trump midterms setback but warns of wider conflictThe National
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.