According to the South Korean presidential office, the two leaders had a brief conversation during a group photo session at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on 16/6. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said US President Donald Trump asked South Korean President Lee Jae Myung about the current state of inter-Korean relations.
President Lee proposed that the US president lead a peaceful solution for the North Korean issue, similar to what he did for the conflict in the Middle East. President Trump replied that he would endeavor to address the North Korean issue, according to the South Korean presidential spokesperson.
 |
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (second row, far left) and US President Donald Trump (center) with other leaders attending the G7 summit in France. Photo: AP |
During his first term, President Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un three times, including a historic summit in Singapore in 2018, a meeting in Hanoi in 2019, and a meeting at the inter-Korean demilitarized zone the same year. At that time, President Trump also became the first sitting US president to step into North Korean territory.
However, the diplomatic process broke down when both sides failed to reach an agreement on denuclearizing Pyongyang's nuclear program and easing sanctions.
Nevertheless, President Trump has repeatedly signaled a desire to resume direct dialogue with Kim. In 8/2025, he said he looked forward to meeting the North Korean leader "at the appropriate time in the future". By 10/2025, he further stated that he "very much wanted" to meet Kim again.
Last week, President Trump also posted a photo with the North Korean leader on Truth Social without a caption.
This year's G7 summit marks the second consecutive year South Korea has been invited as a partner nation. In addition to the G7 members: France, Germany, the United States, Canada, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom, the host nation also invited several other countries, including Brazil, Egypt, India, and Kenya.
Thanh Danh (Source: Reuters, Yonhap)
