Trump: ‘I’m in no rush’ in negotiations with North Korea

President Trump said Tuesday he’s “in no rush” over negotiations to denuclearize North Korea ahead of his second summit next week with leader Kim Jong Un.

“I’d just like to see, ultimately, denuclearization of North Korea,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I think we will see that ultimately. I have no pressing time schedule. I think a lot of people would like to see it go very quickly from the other side.”

{mosads}The president is set to travel to Hanoi, Vietnam, for a summit with Kim on Feb. 27 and 28. He touted the economic prospects for North Korea should it agree to denuclearize, noting its proximity to Russia, China and South Korea.

Trump indicated he would not put a timetable on negotiations with Kim ahead of their second meeting, expressing optimism that “very positive things are going to happen.”

“I’m in no rush,” he said. “As long as there’s no testing, I’m in no rush.” 

President Trump on North Korea denuclearization: “I have no pressing time schedule … As long as there’s no testing, I’m in no rush.” pic.twitter.com/nZvYWEuRsP

— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) February 19, 2019

The president spoke Tuesday morning with South Korean President Moon Jae-in to discuss the upcoming meeting with Kim. Trump is expected to speak with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ahead of next week’s summit as well.

Trump and Kim met in person in June in Singapore, the first face-to-face meeting between a U.S. president and a North Korean leader.

While Trump has heralded the first meeting as an unmitigated success, pointing to the return of U.S. remains from the Korean War and a halt in missile tests, critics have noted that North Korea has not taken concrete steps toward abandoning its nuclear arsenal.

Top intelligence officials said in congressional testimony late last month that North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons.