After Midterm Defeat, Trump May Seek New Talks With North Korea’s Kim

United States President Donald Trump may step up efforts to restart talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after his party’s heavy midterm defeat, analysts say, as he seeks a major foreign-policy win in his final two years in office. Yet Pyongyang shows little appetite for talks, and any deal softening Washington’s stance on its nuclear weapons could strain ties with America’s closest Asian allies.

Trump has repeatedly said he wants to revive his personal diplomacy with Kim, whom he has called a “great guy”. But officials in Washington and Seoul see fading chances of a meeting this year, with Pyongyang yet to respond ahead of a regional summit in China this month.

FAKTA

• What happened: Trump is expected to centre foreign policy after the 3 November midterms handed Congress to the Democrats.
• The goal: A renewed push towards North Korea, where Trump wants to restart talks with Kim Jong Un.
• The obstacle: Pyongyang has not answered US approaches; Kim’s sister says the North sees no need for talks.
• The risk: South Korea and Japan oppose any deal that accepts North Korea as a nuclear-armed state.
• The history: Trump met Kim three times in his first term; their 2019 Hanoi summit ended without agreement.

A Search for a Legacy Win

Analysts in Asia expect Trump to devote significant effort to foreign policy as he seeks to build his legacy, particularly if he faces greater constraints at home. With Ukraine and Iran efforts yet to produce breakthroughs, North Korea is likely to become central to that effort.

Ban Kil-joo of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy said Trump is likely to chase foreign-policy successes. Given Trump would want a successor to win in 2028, engagement with North Korea would probably be part of that agenda, he added.

Why Kim Holds the Stronger Hand

Seven years after the first Trump-Kim meetings, the balance has shifted. North Korea has expanded its nuclear and missile arsenal, adding hypersonic glide vehicles, modern warships and submarines, and improved drones. Its ties with Russia and China are the strongest in years, giving Kim less incentive to negotiate.

Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, has said dialogue remains a path to peace but Pyongyang sees no need for talks now. Her brother has previously signalled he could consider talks if Washington stopped insisting North Korea give up its nuclear weapons.

Allies Fear Being Sidelined

That prospect alarms Seoul and Tokyo, which strongly oppose any agreement accepting North Korea’s nuclear weapons. Leif-Eric Easley of Ewha Womans University warned that a summit shelving denuclearisation would undermine deterrence and create friction among Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.

Seoul and Tokyo also fear being cut out if Trump deals directly with Kim. If Trump were to bring Kim back to the table, analysts say, he might need to offer more than partial sanctions relief — and any major deal could face opposition at home and abroad. Read more world news at Watan News.