(2nd LD) Trump says he will meet N. Korea's Kim this year, puts N.K. nukes at 57

U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday his intention to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later in the year. This announcement came as the first time he disclosed a specific figure for the North's nuclear arsenal, estimating it to consist of "57 very powerful nuclear weapons." Trump made these remarks during a press conference at the White House, following the Wall Street Journal's report of his aides' efforts to arrange a meeting with Kim during his upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November.

While Trump did not elaborate on his meeting plans, he confirmed that he has not exchanged written correspondence with Kim. The speculation of a renewed personal diplomacy between the two leaders was further fueled by Trump's recent decision to reduce South Korea-U.S. military exercises, viewed as a gesture of goodwill towards North Korea.

This move has raised questions about Kim's willingness to respond, considering North Korea's growing diplomatic, economic, and military ties with Russia and China.