Trump Leaves Out North Korea in UN Speech... State Department Says "Will Meet Anyone If It Serves National Interest"

Focus on North Korea-Related Messages


Mentions in 2017 and 2018 Addresses

U.S. President Donald Trump did not mention North Korea in his speech at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on September 22 (local time). Although the U.S. Department of State had expressed a general position the previous day, leaving open the possibility of a North Korea-U.S. summit, President Trump’s speech contained no message directed at North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

U.S. President Donald Trump. The White House

President Trump addressed external policy issues such as Iran and the war in Ukraine at the UN headquarters in New York on that day. He especially warned Iran that military action could be taken if an agreement was not reached, stating, “I believe an agreement will be made right after the election.” However, the issue of North Korea was not raised.

Given that President Trump has repeatedly expressed his intention to meet Kim Jong Un within the year, there was speculation that he might use this speech as an opportunity to offer dialogue with North Korea. The reason for the omission of North Korea from this year’s remarks has not been confirmed.

U.S. State Department, Previous Day: "Trump Will Meet Anyone If It Serves National Interests"

Tommy Pigott, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, was asked at a New York Foreign Press Center briefing on September 21 about the possibility of a North Korea-U.S. summit within the year. He replied, “President Trump is a deal maker,” and added, “He always decides on matters based on the national interest of the United States.” He continued, “If the president determines that meeting someone is in the U.S. national interest, he will meet that person.”

Spokesperson Pigott clarified that there was “nothing specific to announce” regarding any actual contact between North Korea and the United States or any planned meeting with North Korean officials during the UN General Assembly. While the possibility of dialogue remains open, no steps toward actually arranging a summit have been confirmed.

On the same day, the foreign ministers of South Korea, the United States, and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea in a joint statement released after their meeting in New York. They also stressed that the path to dialogue remains open and urged North Korea to return to talks.

During his first term, President Trump delivered different messages regarding North Korea at each stage of North Korea-U.S. relations through his UN General Assembly speeches. In 2017, he warned that North Korea could be “totally destroyed” and referred to Kim Jong Un as “Rocket Man.” The following year, when the first North Korea-U.S. summit took place, he thanked Kim for his actions and courage. In 2019, he mentioned the promise of a “brighter future” for North Korea and called for denuclearization.

This time, President Trump’s speech did not include a message toward North Korea. Despite statements from the State Department and the foreign ministers of South Korea, the United States, and Japan, there has been no confirmation of any direct contact or summit schedule between North Korea and the United States.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.