Overview

• Kim told the Supreme People’s Assembly he has “fond memories” of President Donald Trump, marking his first direct mention of Trump since January and recalling three past meetings before talks collapsed in 2019.
• North Korea’s leader reiterated there will be no relinquishing of nuclear weapons, which he said are enshrined as irreversible, and he ruled out trading steps for sanctions relief.
• Kim rejected any engagement with South Korea, dismissed unification as unnecessary, and derided President Lee Jae Myung’s three‑stage denuclearization plan as a recycled proposal.
• Analysts and media reports say the remarks may be intended to enable a symbolic Trump–Kim encounter, potentially around the APEC summit in South Korea, though any such meeting remains speculative.
• Seoul says it supports renewed U.S.–North Korea dialogue and has floated a production freeze as an interim step, even as Kim insists denuclearization demands must be abandoned before talks resume.