US to work 'very hard' to reach peace deal between North Korea, South Korea: Trump

WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his administration will work "very hard" to reach a peace agreement between North Korea and South Korea, voicing confidence that a pact can be struck over time.

Successive US administrations have sought to rein in the North's illicit ballistic missile and nuclear programs, as well as improve ties across the Korean Peninsula. While little progress has been made on any of the outstanding issues, Trump voiced confidence that he will eventually reach a peace agreement on the divided peninsula.

Addressing South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Trump acknowledged that the Koreas officially remain at war after an armistice halted outright hostilities in 1953, but said: "We'll see what we can do to get that all straightened out."

"We'll work very hard with Kim Jong Un and with everybody on getting things straightened out, because that makes sense," Trump said during brief remarks before reporters as he sat down with Lee.

"It's common sense that that should work out, and I feel certain that it will, may take a little time, you have to have a little patience, but I feel absolutely certain that it will," he added.

Trump met with Kim three times during his first term, including a 2019 sit-down with the North Korean leader in the demilitarized zone between the North and the South. The meeting marked the first time a US president set foot in the North.

The US president said his team attempted to work out another meeting during his ongoing five-day tour of Asia, but they "weren't able to work out timing.

For his part, Lee said Trump has been “successful in bringing peace to many parts of the world.”

“I hope that your peacemaking skills can be applied to the Korean Peninsula, so that we can bring peace on the Korean Peninsula as well,” Lee said, expressing regret that a meeting between Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not happen.

Lee mentioned that South Korea has decided to increase the national budget for defense and reiterated his call for “conventionally” armed nuclear-powered submarines.

“We're not aiming for nuclear armed submarines, but rather conventionally armed submarines powered by nuclear energy, because our conventional submarines have limited capabilities,” he said.

He said South Korea will continue to invest in the US and will continue to support “your endeavor in revitalizing your manufacturing sectors and shipbuilding sector cooperation.”

Shortly before the meeting, Trump was gifted a replica of a gold crown from an ancient Korean kingdom and was also granted South Korea’s highest decoration, the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, marking the first time that a US president has received the honor.