U.S. President Donald Trump said he thinks North Korea is a kind of "nuclear power," a remark that is expected to cause a stir. The comment is being interpreted as effectively recognizing North Korea's status as a nuclear-armed state.
On the 24th (local time), Trump held a press conference aboard Air Force One, the presidential plane, as he departed to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. Asked whether he was willing to accept North Korea's demand for recognition as a nuclear-armed state, he said, "They already have numerous nuclear weapons," adding, "I'll say that."
This is not the first time Trump has referred to North Korea as a "nuclear-armed state." At a press conference immediately after his Jan. 20 inauguration this year, he described North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as someone with "nuclear capability," and in March he said, "Kim Jong-un is clearly a nuclear power." At the time, Trump said, "If it weren't for me, a nuclear war with North Korea would have broken out," adding that he had built a good relationship with Kim Jong-un at the Singapore and Vietnam summits.
The White House had cautioned against overinterpreting such remarks by Trump, saying they were an objective reference to the fact that North Korea possesses nuclear weapons. In U.S. diplomatic circles, many assessed that the term "nuclear power" referred less to recognizing North Korea's status as a nuclear-armed state than to the practical reality that it possesses nuclear weapons.
The United States has maintained the principle of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and has never recognized North Korea as an official nuclear-armed state. However, this remark is being evaluated as different in context. That is because it came in response to a question about whether he could accept North Korea's demand for recognition as a nuclear-armed state. Accordingly, some observe that the United States may not be ruling out the possibility of changing its policy line on the North Korean nuclear issue.
Trump said he would like to meet with "Chairperson Kim," leaving open the possibility of a meeting with Kim Jong-un during his visit to Korea. On this Asia tour, he is scheduled to arrive in Korea on the 29th after stops in Malaysia and Japan. On the day of arrival, he will hold a summit with President Lee Jae-myung to discuss U.S.-Korea issues, including North Korea policy.