President-elect Donald Trump’s team is reportedly considering direct negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in an effort to reduce the likelihood of military conflict by restarting diplomatic discussions, according to Reuters, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

Some members of Trump’s team believe that a personal approach, leveraging the rapport Trump built during his first term, is the most effective way to re-establish communication with Kim.

The transition team did not provide any comments when asked for a response.

It remains unclear how Kim would react to this potential initiative. Under President Joe Biden, North Korea has dismissed multiple attempts at engagement, despite Biden offering talks without conditions. Kim, meanwhile, has seemed emboldened by North Korea’s growing missile capabilities and its closer relationship with Russia.

During his presidency from 2017 to 2021, Trump met with Kim three times, in Singapore, Hanoi, and at the Korean border. While these meetings were historic, they ultimately produced no concrete outcomes.

Despite the global attention the summits garnered, they failed to produce tangible results, primarily due to disagreements over North Korea’s nuclear disarmament and the easing of U.S. sanctions.

The potential outcome of a new diplomatic initiative remains uncertain. Sources told Reuters that Trump’s primary goal would likely be to restore basic diplomatic engagement, though specific policy goals and timelines have yet to be defined.

However, according to one individual familiar with the transition team’s priorities, issues like the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine might take precedence over North Korea.

North Korea has ramped up its rhetoric recently and conducted numerous missile launches this year.

Earlier this week, Kim accused the United States of escalating tensions and provocations, claiming that the Korean Peninsula is facing an unprecedented risk of nuclear war.

“We have already gone as far as we can on negotiating with the United States, but what we became certain of from the result is not the superpower’s willingness to coexist, but its thorough stance of power and aggressive and hostile policy toward us that can never change,” Kim stated. These comments followed Kim’s call for his country’s military to strengthen its capabilities for war.

Two weeks ago, North Korea launched a ballistic missile towards the East Sea, just days after testing an intercontinental ballistic missile, drawing condemnation from South Korea, the United States, and Japan. In mid-September, North Korea launched a series of short-range ballistic missiles.

{Matzav.com}