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Ulviyya Poladova

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The possibility of a meeting between the leaders of the United States and North Korea has grown following a significant reduction in the scale of joint US-South Korean military exercises and President Donald Trump’s remarks that he plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year.

According to South Korean lawmaker Yoon Kun-young, who spoke after a closed-door briefing by the National Intelligence Service (NIS), North Korea and the United States are showing possible signs of progress toward restarting dialogue.

However, officials stressed that there has been no official confirmation of any concrete or direct contact between Pyongyang and Washington.

"As for a summit between North Korea and the United States, experts assess that talks could take place at any time," Yoon Kun-young told reporters.

It should be noted that in mid-August, US President Donald Trump recalled his good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and ordered a reduction in the scale of military exercises with South Korea. At the time, Trump called these maneuvers too expensive and said they sent an "inappropriate and hostile" signal to North Korea, while emphasizing his relationship with its leader, Kim Jong Un.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had asked his aides to arrange a meeting with the North Korean leader in the autumn of this year.

Image: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images