It is predicted that if former US president Donald Trump is reelected, he may have a greater impact on North Korea through another meeting with leader Kim Jong-un.

Trump is said to be running for president in the 2024 election, against President Biden.

President Biden’s approach to North Korea has been seen as less successful, with minimal progress noted.

It is believed that Kim Jong-un would be more engaged in conversation with Trump than with President Biden, considering the connections Kim had with Trump in the past.

More effective changes are expected under Trump, given their more flexible views.

Trump had several interactions with Kim Jong-un during his first term, including the first meeting in Singapore in 2018, followed by several others.

While the possibility of leaders from the United States and North Korea meeting in person could increase if Trump is reelected, there is also a chance that this growing relationship between the two countries could disrupt the current one between the United States and South Korea.

If Trump prioritizes relations with North Korea over denuclearization, it could lead to clashes with the current Yoon Suk Yeol government, according to a recent report by Politico.

The report mentioned earlier this month by Politico, a US media outlet, stated that Trump was considering a way to convince North Korea to discontinue its nuclear system and weapons and prevent future growth of the industry.

However, if discussions between the United States and North Korea continue, it could pose a threat to the connection between South Korea and the United States, starting with the rapid decrease of American troops residing in South Korea.

Regardless of the stronger connections with North Korea that the Trump administration could possibly bring, it is predicted that the alliance between South Korea, the United States, and Japan would progress more slowly under Trump, compared to the speed of cooperation under the Biden administration.

Andrew Yeo, the SK-Korea Foundation chair at the Brookings Institution’s Center for East Asia Policy Studies, mentioned that Trump considers foreign policy in relation to the costs of transactions.

Yeo also added that another term under the Biden administration would focus more on encouraging North Korea to engage, emphasizing denuclearization less, and encouraging China to get involved in North Korean issues.

Yeo mentioned that a second term under the Biden administration would not change much from the first term, but would turn towards South Korea’s perspective on North Korea and how North Korea would react.

Regarding North Korea’s stance on the 2024 United States election, Yeo mentioned that North Korea might try to make an effort to get Trump reelected.

Yuin Kim

Grade 8

Yongsan International School of Seoul