Asia/Pacific

Kim invited Trump to visit North Korea amid stalled nuclear talks: report

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a letter last month invited President Trump to visit Pyongyang, according to a Reuters report citing a South Korean newspaper. 

The development comes as nuclear talks between North Korea and the U.S. have stalled after a February summit in Vietnam.

{mosads}Kim spoke of his “willingness” for a third summit in the letter, according to diplomatic sources. The letter was reportedly sent in the third week of August.

Trump said on Aug. 9 he received a “very beautiful letter” from Kim and said, “I think we’ll have another meeting,” but U.S. officials have not mentioned a second letter or a planned third summit. 

A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond for comment about the reported letter. 

Trump and Kim have met three times since last June, including in two formal summits, but have made little substantive progress.

Trump has been widely criticized by Democrats for elevating Kim’s status by agreeing to meet with the dictator while getting little to nothing from negotiations that Trump critics have characterized as merely a photo opportunity. 

North Korea has continued to launch test missiles that watchdogs have said violate United Nations treaties. 

Trump has downplayed the tests and touted his strong personal relationship with Kim.