North Korea-US summit appears 'possible at any time': Seoul spy agency

Seoul's spy agency has indicated that a potential US-North Korea summit could occur "at any time," as there are emerging signs of dialogue between the two nations, according to South Korean lawmaker Youn Kun-young. Despite US President Donald Trump's previous plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the response from Pyongyang has been largely unresponsive.

Analysts are skeptical of imminent talks, with Russia-backed North Korea reportedly having little motivation to engage in US discussions. However, Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, defended Trump's decision to reduce joint military drills between the US and South Korea, labeling it Seoul's "comeuppance." Meanwhile, Russia-backed North Korea has continued to conduct military exercises, drawing an angry response from Pyongyang.

Former head of the University of North Korean Studies, Yang Moo-jin, suggests that North Korea may have little incentive to seek US talks, given its position as a major beneficiary of the Russia-Ukraine war and deepening conflict with South Korea, Japan, and China. Trump and Kim met three times during Trump's first term, but no significant progress was made towards denuclearization.

China, the chief geopolitical rival of the United States, remains a significant trading partner and source of diplomatic and economic support for North Korea, despite multiple international sanctions. South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung has pursued engagement with North Korea since taking office, but Pyongyang has rejected these efforts, branding Seoul its "most hostile" enemy and declaring itself a "reversible" nuclear state.