Cheong Wa Dae hopes Trump remarks lead to meaningful North Korea-US dialogue

Cheong Wa Dae said Monday it hopes the friendly relationship between the leaders of North Korea and the United States will translate into meaningful dialogue, following remarks by President Donald Trump about North Korea.

"The government has taken note of President Trump's social media message today," a Cheong Wa Dae official said, adding that Seoul hopes "discussions aimed at advancing peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula will begin as the amicable relationship between the two leaders leads to meaningful North Korea-US dialogue."

Earlier Monday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he was unhappy that the United States had "agreed to participate in joint military exercises with South Korea," given what he described as his very good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump said he had instructed Defense Secretary Hegseth to significantly scale back the joint exercises.

On the exercises, the Cheong Wa Dae official said South Korea and the United States "have closely coordinated on maintaining a firm combined defense posture and on joint exercises and training, and will continue to cooperate on the specifics going forward."

In the same Truth Social post, Trump also said that, "somewhat separately," he had asked South Korean President Lee Jae Myung whether Seoul would be willing to join efforts to denuclearize Iran, but that the response had been "No thanks!"

The Cheong Wa Dae official said the government "has actively participated in international discussions aimed at achieving a truce in Iran and restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz," and is "in close discussions with the US side on practical and military contributions, taking into account factors including the Korean Peninsula readiness posture and domestic legal procedures."