Trump says North Korea's Kim responded to his request for talks

President Donald Trump said Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his request for a conversation, rebuffing a reporter’s suggestion that Pyongyang had not replied.

A reporter asked Trump why Kim had not responded to his request to speak.

“How do you know?” Trump replied.

When the reporter pressed Trump on whether Kim had responded, he said: “Um, yeah, yes.”

"Kim Jong Un has always treated me with great respect and we met on numerous occasions, actually, two primary occasions, spoken and spent time. I understand him. He understands me," he said.

His remarks came a day after he instructed Pentagon to "substantially reduce" planned joint military exercises with South Korea, citing their cost and his relationship with the North Korean leader.

Trump also linked his decision to a separate exchange with South Korea, saying he had recently asked South Korean President Lee Jae Myung whether Seoul would join Washington in efforts to "denuclearize Iran" and got the response: “No thanks.”

The president again on Monday criticized South Korea over its refusal to assist the US in its confrontation with Iran, questioning why Washington continues to spend billions of dollars to defend its longtime Asian ally.

“What do you mean? We have 39,000 soldiers over there guarding you from Kim Jong Un, your next-door neighbor, and you're not going to help us on a very easy military operation in Iran? That's strange," he said.

Trump then questioned the cost of the US military presence in South Korea, saying Washington spends billions of dollars protecting the country.

“Then why are we involved with helping you?” Trump said.