Suzanne DiMaggio said officials from the hermit state have questioned the US President’s “erratic behaviour” and “want to know if he’s crazy, or if this is just an act”.
The senior academic said North Korean officials “follow the news very closely” and read Mr Trump’s tweets, which has led Kim’s representatives to question his mental state.
And the regime is also reportedly trying to work out if the US President is handling the crisis on the Korean Peninsula by playing “good cop/bad cop” with chief diplomat Rex Tillerson.
It comes just days after the US President called Kim “short and fat” in response to a statement from Pyongyang which referred to Mr Trump as a “lunatic old man”.
Ms DiMaggio has held a series of backchannel talks with representatives of Kim Jong-un’s government as the dictator and US leader have traded personal insults amid fears threats of a nuclear conflict which would trigger World War 3.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
She told Politico Pyongyang had initially been hopeful Mr Trump’s administration may offer a “fresh start” in relations with the US after former President Obama imposed personal sanctions on Kim and members of his inner circle.
And the foreign policy expert head talks with North Korean officials in Geneva, Oslo, Moscow and Pyongyang.
Ms DiMaggio revealed the North Koreans she dealt with “speak perfect English”, allowing them to have free-flowing, relaxed conversations.
She said: “They certainly didn’t have any illusions that things would be easy, but I think they were willing at least to consider the idea of talks with the United States without preconditions at that time.”
However as the months went on, and Mr Trump traded personal insults combined with threats of nuclear war with the young dictator, the North Koreans began to ask more questions about the US leader.
Ms DiMaggio said: “In terms of their questions about Trump, I think they really want to know what is his end game.
“They want to know if he’s crazy, or if this is just an act.
“Is this a good cop/bad cop that he’s doing with Tillerson?
“These are the sorts of questions that they have.”
Kim’s regime has carried out a series of nuclear and ballistic missile tests this year despite widespread international condemnation.
However the secretive state has not conducted a test for more than two months sparking fears a missile launch could be imminent.