N. Korea's Kim could seek renewed summitry with Trump after U.S. midterm elections: expert

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may attempt to resume summitry with U.S. President Donald Trump following the U.S. midterm elections in November, according to Victor Cha, a geopolitics and foreign policy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Cha argued that if North Korea adopts a revisionist approach to solidify its nuclear status, Kim might seek another meeting with Trump.

The main reason for this possibility is Kim's revisionist outlook, rather than a desire to maintain the status quo. If he decides to pursue this strategy, Kim might target a summit with Trump after the midterm elections to reaffirm the commitments made in the Singapore declaration from June 2018. This declaration included North Korea's commitment to denuclearization and the establishment of new bilateral relations with the U.S. to build a stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.

Instead of engaging in detailed denuclearization talks, Kim may focus on peace treaties, suspending U.S. military exercises, and ending hostilities between the U.S. and North Korea. Cha also suggested that North Korea could seek reengagement with Japan if they adopt a revisionist mindset, but this would likely come at the expense of South Korea. In 2024, North Korea has decided to refrain from any further dialogue with the South.