▲ President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with lifeguard Ryder Williams in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on Aug. 17, 2026, in this photo released by the Associated Press. (Yonhap)

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has responded to his overture for dialogue, a day after he said he has instructed the Pentagon to "substantially" reduce South Korea-U.S. military exercises that Pyongyang has decried as rehearsals for war.

Trump made the remarks during a press availability at the White House amid speculation that his directive on the allied exercises could create room for the resumption of dialogue with Pyongyang, though uncertainty remains over whether the North could return to diplomacy amid deepening cooperation with Moscow.

"Yeah, he has," Trump said, responding to a reporter's question about why Kim has not responded to his dialogue overture.

Trump also claimed that Kim "has always treated me with great respect."

Trump had three in-person meetings with Kim during his first term: the first meeting in Singapore in June 2018, the second in Hanoi in February 2019 and the third at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019.

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