South Korea Backs Trump’s North Korea Push, But Sets Nuclear Progress as a Red Line

South Korea endorsed U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed push to open talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Aug. 28, while making clear that any agreement should include verifiable progress on Pyongyang’s nuclear capabilities and that Seoul must remain part of the process.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said that South Korea would back efforts to resume dialogue talks between Washington and Pyongyang, but not at the cost of jeopardizing its security. His remarks followed Trump’s latest offer to meet with Kim on a direct basis.

“As a party directly concerned with peace on the Korean Peninsula and as a pacemaker, we will support trust-building between North Korea and the United States and the resumption of dialogue so that President Trump’s efforts can lead to renewed US-North Korea talks,” Wi said.

Seoul Sets Conditions for Supporting Talks

Wi said Seoul would adopt a “multidimensional approach” to manage the risks associated with any direct Washington-Pyongyang dialogue.

“At the same time, another point we need to keep in mind is ensuring that our security posture is not weakened and that South Korea is not bypassed in the process,” he added.

Wi also pointed to continued communication between Seoul and Washington. He said the two governments have maintained contact at various levels, including a phone call between their foreign ministers on Aug. 24.

The two countries are also handling several bilateral issues, including investment, corporate matters involving Coupang, security and intelligence cooperation and the transfer of wartime operational control.

U.S.-South Korea Drills Were Cut as North Korea Fired Missiles

Earlier this month, South Korea and the United States shortened their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises after Trump ordered the Pentagon to reduce the drills. The decision came after the exercise had already begun and caused concern in Seoul. Trump cited his relationship with Kim as the reason for the decision.

Meanwhile, North Korea has continued military activity despite Trump’s diplomatic overtures.

North Korea has largely shut out Seoul while leaving open the possibility of dealing directly with Washington. It also continued missile launches, firing more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea last week.

Kim Enters Talks From a Stronger Position

Trump and Kim met three times during Trump’s first term, including summits in Singapore and Hanoi. The meetings did not produce a durable agreement on North Korea’s nuclear program.

Kim Young-ho, a professor of security policy at Korea National Defense University, said Kim now has greater leverage in potential negotiations.

Kim Jong-un “has very little to be desperate about right now,” Kim Young-ho said, adding that if Kim comes to the table and does not like what the United States offers, “he can simply walk away.”

North Korea’s military cooperation with Russia has also deepened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The cooperation has included the deployment of North Korean troops and weapons support, while Pyongyang has strengthened ties with China.

The expanded relationships have given North Korea additional diplomatic and economic options as it faces U.S. pressure, according to experts cited by The Korea Herald.

Denuclearization Could Be Difficult Starting Point

North Korea has rejected denuclearization as a precondition for dialogue. Analysts therefore expect any negotiations to begin with narrower measures rather than an immediate agreement aimed at eliminating the country’s nuclear arsenal.

Shin Beom-chul, director of the Center for Security Strategy at the Sejong Institute and a former South Korean vice defense minister, believes the first phase of any future talks between Trump and Kim will be about preventing further development of nuclear weapons and nuclear material, with reductions and eventual denuclearization coming second.

“North Korea has not ruled out the possibility of dialogue, but it has drawn a clear line against putting denuclearization on the agenda,” Shin said. “That means the first task would be to find a realistic starting point that can stop its nuclear capabilities from expanding further.”

Kim has indicated talks might resume in September 2025, saying that he has “good personal memories” of Trump “but if Washington continues its delusional obsession with denuclearization of North Korea, talks are not possible” on the issue.

Experts quoted in The Washington Times believe Kim might be willing to make big concessions such as sanctions relief in return for nuclear-related measures.

South Korea Faces Its Own Nuclear Debate

Kim Young-ho said that if the United States effectively accepts North Korea’s nuclear capabilities, South Korea would have to consider “whether we can continue to rely only on the United States.”

Such a shift, he said, could force Seoul to reconsider its long-term options, although any move toward an independent nuclear capability would face significant political, diplomatic and legal obstacles.

The issue has also entered South Korea’s domestic political debate. Conservatives such as People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo have urged for tougher nuclear measures.

Several South Korean lawmakers have urged that the nuclear option be brought back on the table and that South Korea’s nuclear capability be expanded through more nuclear-sharing with the United States.

Seoul Balances Diplomacy With Security Concerns

For Seoul, the challenge is to support renewed U.S.-North Korea diplomacy without allowing negotiations to weaken South Korea’s security position or exclude it from decisions affecting the Korean Peninsula.

For Washington and Pyongyang, the central obstacle remains the nuclear issue. Trump has signaled an interest in direct engagement with Kim, while North Korea has rejected denuclearization as a condition for talks.

South Korea’s position on Aug. 28 suggests that Seoul is prepared to support that process, but not at the expense of its role in negotiations or its security commitments.