▲ U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at the White House in Washington on Sept. 29, 2026, in this photo released by the Associated Press. (Yonhap)

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has a "pretty large" nuclear arsenal and will be "fine" as long as he is "around," claiming that Kim respects and likes him.

Trump made the remarks during a press availability following his meeting with top executives of artificial intelligence firms, responding to a reporter's question about why North Korea can have nuclear weapons when he has said Iran cannot have nuclear arms.

"As long as I am around, he's going to be fine," he said at the White House. "You know why? He respects me and likes me."

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