During his first term, Trump met Kim on three occasions in an unsuccessful attempt to persuade North Korea to dismantle its nuclear arsenal in exchange for a partial lifting of sanctions. In a speech last month, Kim said there was no reason not to reenter talks with the U.S.—as long as Washington abandons denuclearization as a precondition.

North Korea successfully tested a "new cutting-edge weapons system" involving hypersonic missiles, state-run media reported Thursday, amid heightened regional tensions.