Presidential office expects N. Korea-U.S. leaders' friendship to lead to dialogue - Yonhap News Agency

On 17 August 2026, Trump said North Korea's Kim Jong Un had responded to his overtures for dialogue. Trump had scaled back US-South Korea military drills, and said of Kim, 'I understand him. He understands me.'

South Korea's presidential office said it is reviewing Trump's comments on downsizing the drills and expects the leaders' friendship to lead to dialogue. The Korea Herald reported that the order raises alliance concerns. A key US senator accused Trump of 'appeasement', and CNN wrote that the move deepened concerns over US reliability. A former US official told Asahi Shimbun that Trump is clearly interested in visiting Pyongyang.