SUMMIT Trump raises prospects of meeting Kim Jong-un at APEC Summit in S. Korea

President Lee Jae Myung waves to reporters alongside U.S. President Donald Trump upon arriving at the White House in Washington, D.C., Monday. Yonhap

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump indicated his willingness to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un before the end of the year, raising the possibility of a meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in South Korea later this year.

During his first summit with President Lee Jae Myung at the White House, Monday, Trump was asked by reporters whether he planned to meet the North Korean leader again. He responded that he hoped to do so, emphasizing that he "gets along great with him."

"I look forward to meeting with Kim Jong-un in the appropriate future," the U.S. president said.

Regarding the upcoming APEC Summit scheduled for the end of October in Gyeongju, South Korea, Trump said he'd love to come for the summit.

When presented with the possibility of meeting both Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC event, Trump described the idea as "interesting," although he acknowledged it could be difficult to arrange.

"That'd be interesting. We'll arrange a meeting between you and Kim Jong-un. Would you like that? I don't know. That's a very tough question right now. I don't know where that question is leading. Anyway, look, I get along great with Kim Jong-un and whatever I can do, having to do with South Korea and getting people together, you should get together," he said.

President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump sit next to each other at the Oval Office in the White House, Washington, D.C., Monday. Yonhap

He also recalled the early stages of engaging with the North Korean leader back in early 2018, when inter-Korean relations shifted rapidly toward reconciliation following North Korea's participation in PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games in the South and following inter-Korean summits as well as Pyongyang-Washington summits.

"I was also at my formative stage with North Korea and Kim Jong-un, and we were a little bit going at it about Rocket Man, Little Rocket Man, back and forth. And it was really nasty and then I got a call one day and they wanted to get together," Trump said, adding that he and Kim had become "very friendly," through the two summits they held together back in 2018 and 2019.

"I will say that Kim Jong-un and I had a very good relationship, as you remember, and still do. And when I came in, I didn't know him. We had two summits, but we became very friendly, respect," he explained.

President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands at the Oval Office in the White House, Washington, D.C., Monday. Yonhap

On the issue of North Korea, Lee noted that the situation had worsened during Trump’s absence from office.

"During the period when President Trump stepped back from U.S. politics, North Korea developed more missiles and increased its nuclear capabilities. The situation on the Korean Peninsula has really worsened," Lee said, and Trump responded: “If I had been in office, that wouldn’t have happened."

Trump pointed out Lee’s determination to resolve North Korea-related issues, saying, “President Lee is more committed than any Korean leader to addressing North Korea. If we work together, we can make progress.”

Lee appealed to Trump to take up a renewed role in addressing the North Korea issue.

"Resolving this issue through my engagement is not an easy thing. And the only person that can make progress on this issue is you, Mr. President. If you become the peacemaker, then I will assist you by being a pacemaker," Lee said.

Lee highlighted the Trump-Kim relationship, saying a recent statement by Kim's influential sister, Kim Yo-jong, read the two leaders' relationship was "not bad."

"I believe that this is a sign that North Korea is waiting," he said.

“I ask you to help bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, the world’s last divided nation. Meet Chairman Kim Jong-un again, maybe even build a ‘Trump World’ resort there so I can play golf with you, and truly establish yourself as a global peacemaker.”