Trump hails North Korea's 'tremendous' economic potential
16 February, 2019
Donald Trump on Friday (Feb 15) hailed Pyongyang's "tremendous" economic potential and his "great relationship" with his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un ahead of a second scheduled summit between the two leaders.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, the US president also took a dig at Barack Obama, suggesting his predecessor had been close to going to war with the nuclear-armed state.
Pyongyang has yet to provide any official confirmation of the Feb 27-28 summit, which will be the second time the pair come together following their Singapore meeting on Jun 12 last year.
But Trump held out the prospect of growth and prosperity for the impoverished and isolated country should it follow a path of peace.
"Their location between South Korea and Russia and China, right smack in the middle, is phenomenal. And we think they have a great chance for tremendous economic prosperity in the future," Trump said.
The president later hailed his warm relationship with Kim, adding that such an accomplishment had been beyond the capacity of Obama.
Recalling a conversation he had with Obama shortly before entering office, Trump said: "I don't want to speak for him but I believe he would have gone to war with North Korea.
"I think he was ready to go to war, he told me he was so close to starting a big war with North Korea. Where are we now? No missiles, no rockets, no nuclear testing.
"We've learned a lot. But much more importantly ... we have a great relationship. I have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un."
The president added that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan had sent him a copy of a five-page letter delivered to the Nobel Peace Prize committee in which Abe had nominated Trump for his efforts in defusing tensions with Pyongyang.
"He said 'I have nominated you respectfully on behalf of Japan. I am asking them to give you the Nobel Peace Prize.' I said thank you," Trump said.
"Many other people feel that way, too. I'll probably never get it. That's okay."
Trump also ran through some of the highlights of the fiery rhetoric he and Kim exchanged in 2017 when tensions between the two countries were sky-rocketing.
"It was a very tough dialogue at the beginning: Fire and fury, total annihilation, my button is bigger than yours.
"People said 'Trump is crazy.' And you know what it ended up being? A very good relationship. I like him a lot and he likes me a lot. Nobody else would have done that. The Obama administration couldn't have done it."
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