Trump voices desire to reestablish ties with Kim Jong-un, says Kim has 'a lot of' nuclear arms

In other words, by mentioning the two nations, Trump is essentially offering North Korea bait — presenting a positive model to lure or draw Pyongyang into dialogue. Since both Pakistan and India eventually became U.S. partners, this reference serves as an enticement, giving North Korea a reason to hope for a similar trajectory,

he explained

Trump's remarks can be seen as a highly strategic and calculated statement,

Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told The Korea Times

(North Koreans) asked for a meeting. And then we met. And the meeting caused the Olympics, which was South Korea, to become a tremendous success,

Trump said, adding

Mark Ruttegeneral

I had a great relationship with Kim Jong-un (of) North Korea. If I wasn't elected, if Hillary got in, you would have had a nuclear war with North Korea,

he added, as he sat next to North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House for talks

Kim Jong-un has a lot of nuclear weapons by the way ... a lot and others do also,

he said

Mark Ruttegeneral

I would ... I have a great relationship with Kim Jong Un, and we'll see what happens, but certainly he's a nuclear power."

Asked by reporters during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte whether he had plans to reestablish relations with Kim, Trump said

President Trump will pursue the complete denuclearization of North Korea, just as he did in his first term."

Asked if Trump remarks represented any shift in policy towards North Korea's nuclear weapons, a White House official said