Trump says he gets along with Kim Jong Un, cites 112 North Korean nuclear missiles
Version 2: More outlets carried the same remarks and added detail on Trump's earlier use of “nuclear state” language and on his September 29 comments about Kim, while Kukmin Ilbo's headline also reported a warning of tariffs of up to 300% on foreign companies; no new basis for the 112 figure emerged.
In short
US President Donald Trump said at an October 3 midterm election rally in Ohio that he gets along very well with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, adding that when someone has 112 nuclear missiles it is good to get along. Korean outlets said the “112” remark appeared to refer to North Korea's nuclear missiles and differed from the 57 weapons Trump cited in August, with no basis given for either figure. Trump also said Iran will never have nuclear missiles.
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US President Donald Trump said at a midterm election rally on October 3 that he gets along very well with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Explaining his good relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said it is good to keep good relations with leaders of large countries and large nuclear powers, adding “I get along very well with Kim Jong Un” and that “when someone has 112 nuclear missiles, it is good to get along,” Yonhap reported. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
Korean outlets said the “112 nuclear missiles” line appeared to refer to North Korea's arsenal because it came immediately after Trump named Kim, and pointed to a difference with the “57” Trump cited in August as the North's nuclear weapons holdings. Yonhap, Seoul Economic Daily, Dong-A Ilbo and Maeil Business said the precise meaning and basis need further confirmation, and Maeil Business said it was not clear whether 112 distinguishes warheads from missiles. Chosun Ilbo said the figure had doubled in about three months and that it was unclear whether it rested on accurate information, noting Trump gave no explanation or evidence. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 ]
Chosun Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun both cited then-defense minister Ahn Gyu-back's August testimony to the National Assembly that the government assesses the North as having “about 80 to 120”, based on analysis by a domestic research institute. [ 8 , 13 ]
Trump drew a contrast with Iran in the same remarks, saying “but there is a difference” and that “Iran will never have nuclear missiles.” Maeil Business reported that, asked about Iran at the White House, Trump said “I have a decision to make about Iran”, that Iran “has been devastated” and that the only question was whether it would be the easy way or the hard way. The outlet said he did not explain what the two options meant, and that on October 1 he had said Iran must sign an agreement or “no longer exist”. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
Hankook Ilbo reported that Trump has been mentioning Kim and the North's nuclear weapons more often. On September 29, it said, he called Kim “my friend” and described the North as having nuclear capability that is “fairly big”, though not at the US level. North Korea demands recognition as a nuclear state as a condition for dialogue, the outlet said, and prospects have been raised of Washington pursuing a resumption of talks around the APEC summit in Shenzhen in November. After Trump's August remark, it added, the White House said its denuclearization stance was unchanged. [ 6 ]
Most outlets said the rally was held in Ohio; Hankook Ilbo named Vandalia Butler High School as the venue, while a Chosun Ilbo summary described the state as Oklahoma, a difference the documents do not resolve. Kukmin Ilbo's headline also reported that Trump warned of tariffs of up to 300% on foreign companies, and later headlines from Seoul Shinmun and Newsis repeated the remarks. [ 1 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 15 ]
Why it matters
Trump's repeated public mentions of Kim Jong Un and of the North's arsenal keep alive the prospect of renewed US-North Korea contact; Hankook Ilbo reported that prospects have been raised of talks around the APEC summit in Shenzhen in November. The gap between the figures Trump has given — 57 in August and 112 now — leaves the basis of US public statements on the North's nuclear programme unclear, and Maeil Business said it was not clear whether the new number counts warheads or missiles.
Key facts
- Trump said at an October 3 midterm election rally that he gets along very well with Kim Jong Un. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
- Immediately after naming Kim, Trump said that when someone has 112 nuclear missiles it is good to get along. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
- Korean outlets said the “112 nuclear missiles” remark appeared to refer to North Korea's nuclear missiles. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
- Trump cited 57 North Korean nuclear weapons in August. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 ]
- Outlets said no basis was given for either number and that the 112 figure needs further confirmation. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 ]
- Trump said Iran will never have nuclear missiles, drawing a distinction with North Korea. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
- Then-defense minister Ahn Gyu-back told the National Assembly in August that the government assesses the North's arsenal at about 80 to 120, citing a domestic research institute. [ 8 , 13 ]
- Maeil Business reported that, asked about Iran at the White House, Trump said Iran “has been devastated” and that the only question was the easy way or the hard way. [ 11 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Trump said at an October 3 midterm election rally that he gets along very well with Kim Jong Un and that when someone has 112 nuclear missiles it is good to get along. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
- The “112 nuclear missiles” remark came immediately after Trump named Kim and appeared to refer to North Korea's nuclear missiles. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
- Trump said in August that North Korea had 57 nuclear weapons. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 ]
- Outlets said no basis was given for the numbers and that the 112 figure needs further confirmation. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 ]
- Trump said Iran will never have nuclear missiles. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
- Then-defense minister Ahn Gyu-back said in August that the government assesses North Korea as having about 80 to 120 nuclear weapons, citing a domestic research institute. [ 8 , 13 ]
Still unclear
- What the figure of 112 is based on, and whether it counts nuclear warheads or missiles. Yonhap, Seoul Economic Daily, Dong-A Ilbo, Chosun Ilbo and Maeil Business said the basis needs further confirmation; Maeil Business said it is not clear whether the number distinguishes warheads from missiles or rests on separate information.
- Where the rally took place. Most outlets say Ohio, and Hankook Ilbo names Vandalia Butler High School, while a Chosun Ilbo summary says Oklahoma; the documents do not resolve the difference.
- Whether the remarks signal a resumption of US-North Korea dialogue. Hankook Ilbo reported that prospects of talks around the November APEC summit in Shenzhen have been raised, but the documents contain no official confirmation.
- What Trump meant by an “easy way or a hard way” for Iran. Maeil Business reported he did not explain the two options, saying only that the United States would do it either way.
- Trump warned of tariffs of up to 300% on foreign companies. Only Kukmin Ilbo's headline mentions this warning; no other document refers to it.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kukmin Ilbo's headline reports the Kim remarks and a warning of tariffs of up to 300% on foreign companies. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reports from Washington that Trump made the remarks at an Ohio rally and notes the 112 figure differs from the 57 he cited in August. [ 2 ]
- Asia Economy carries the same quotes and the comparison with the August figure. [ 4 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports the venue as Vandalia Butler High School in Ohio and recalls Trump's September 29 description of Kim as “my friend”. [ 6 ]
- Chosun Ilbo says the figure doubled in about three months and cites Ahn Gyu-back's August estimate of 80 to 120. [ 8 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo notes that Trump gave no detailed basis for either the 57 or the 112 figure. [ 9 ]
- Maeil Business reports the Kim remarks together with Trump's separate comments about Iran at the White House. [ 11 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports the remarks and recalls Trump's past use of “nuclear state” language about North Korea. [ 13 ]
- Newsis's headline refers to 112 North Korean nuclear missiles. [ 14 ]
- Seoul Shinmun's headline says Trump mentioned Kim and “112 nuclear weapons”. [ 15 ]