South Korea Backs Trump’s Push to Restart North Korea Talks This Fall

South Korean National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac stated on Friday that his country backs former U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiative to restart dialogue with North Korea and will support confidence-building measures and the resumption of bilateral negotiations.

Speaking to journalists, Wi emphasized that Seoul believes any renewed U.S.–North Korea talks must prioritize substantive progress on Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program and must not undermine South Korea’s national security preparedness.

Wi’s remarks follow renewed outreach by Trump toward North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in recent days. Trump has expressed willingness to hold another meeting with Kim, though Pyongyang has not issued any official indication of intent to resume negotiations.

Earlier on Thursday, a spokesperson for the North Korean Foreign Ministry declared: “We have once again clearly recognized the United States’ consistent hostile stance toward the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” using the country’s formal name.

The statement was issued in response to the U.S. State Department’s approval of a potential $125 million arms sale to South Korea, comprising AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air tactical missiles and related equipment—a move Pyongyang labeled a “new security threat.”

What denuclearization means for Trump’s diplomacy

On August 19, U.S. officials told the Wall Street Journal that Trump is urging his aides to arrange a meeting with Kim Jong Un as soon as possible this autumn, aiming to revive diplomatic efforts launched during his first term to persuade Kim to abandon North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

Those officials noted Trump has specifically discussed the possibility of holding a direct summit with Kim during his upcoming trip to Asia, tentatively scheduled for November, when world leaders are set to gather for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Shenzhen, China.

The Wall Street Journal reported that while no formal arrangements have yet been initiated, Trump’s insistence on a high-level meeting signals his strong desire for a major foreign policy achievement—particularly as prospects for a breakthrough in Iran remain remote.

Most U.S. presidents have declined to meet Kim without preconditions, given that North Korea possesses dozens of nuclear warheads.