Taking to Twitter once again, Trump declared talks between the two Koreas are “a good thing” as he hit out at “experts” who haven’t credited him for brokering the renewed communication.
He wrote: “With all of the failed “experts” weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasn’t firm, strong and willing to commit our total “might” against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing!”
Meanwhile, the chief of United States Forces Korea (USFK) Vincent Brooks has warned that the North-South dialogue must not be over exaggerated.
He said: “We must keep our expectations at the appropriate level.”
Despite the apparent thawing of relations between Pyongyang and Seoul, Kim Jong-un’s New Year address gave no indication that the hermit nation is planning to give up its nuclear and missile programmes, with the dictator warning Donald Trump he has a “nuclear button” on his desk.
He told the nation: “We must mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles and speed up their deployment.
“We should always keep readiness to take immediate nuclear counter-attacks against the enemy’s scheme for a nuclear war.
“The US should know that the button for nuclear weapons is on my table. This is reality, not a threat.
“The entire area of the US mainland is within our nuclear strike range. The United States can never start a war against me and our country.”
In response, President Trump mocked the Korean leader on Twitter in a clear indication that the apparent improvement in ties between the Koreas will not be matched by a thawing of the hostile relationship between North Korea and the US.
Mr Trump tweeted: “North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”
On Wednesday South Korea confirmed communication with North Korea has reopened, prompting speculation about the prospect of a new chapter in the fraught relationship between the two neighbours.
The South’s Unification Ministry said the two Koreas were communicating via a radio channel at the border village of Panmunjom on Wednesday after Kim Jong-un shocked the world by saying he was “open to dialogue” with Seoul and hoped to send a team to the Winter Olympics, set to be held in Pyeongchang next month.
The Ministry’s statement said officials were trying to determine whether the communication lines between the two countries were still operational.
The two nations have not held high-level talks since December 2015 after North Korea cut off the communications channel and refused to answer calls, according to officials in Seoul.
South Korea reportedly tries to make contact with the North at least once a day.