US President Donald Trump said Monday that Kim Jong Un had responded to his recent overtures, a day after he scaled back military drills with South Korea and praised his relationship with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) leader.

Trump said he was making the situation "much safer" through his ties to Kim, whom he met three times in his first spell in the White House, but has yet to encounter during his second term.

While praising Kim, Trump rebuked US ally Seoul for failing to help Washington fight Iran – a war Trump says is aimed at stopping Tehran from getting nuclear weapons.

Asked why Kim hadn't replied to his requests for a conversation since returning to office last year, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office: "How do you know he hasn't responded?"

When pressed about whether Kim had actually responded, Trump said: "Yeah, he has."

Asked what stage the conversations with Kim were at, Trump said "it's very positive," but provided no further detail.

Trump then doubled down on his praise for Kim, saying their ties reduced tensions.

"You see, I'm actually making it much safer. Kim Jong Un has always treated me with great respect," Trump said. "I understand him. He understands me."

Trump initially took aim at South Korea on his Truth Social network on Sunday night, abruptly announcing that he had ordered the Pentagon to scale back "inappropriate and hostile" military drills with Seoul.

He also linked the decision to South Korea's refusal to help with the US-Israeli war with Iran.

"Wait a minute. We have 39,000 soldiers over there, guarding you from Kim Jong Un, your next-door neighbour, and you're not going to help us on a very easy military operation in Iran. That's strange," Trump said in the Oval Office.

Trump once again called into question US support for both South Korea and Nato allies that have refused to contribute to the Iran war.

"We can't go around and protect all of these countries, especially when they're not there to help us," he said.

South Korean officials said the exercises had begun as planned and that they hoped the personal chemistry between Trump and Kim would bring them back to talks.

The DPRK has not responded publicly, although it has previously voiced anger at the regular joint manoeuvres that take place in the South.

The top US Senate Democrat on military affairs slammed Trump's order to downsize the Korean drills, and said China and Russia were "watching how easily this president abandons America's allies".

"This is another inane, haphazard decision by President Trump and his chaotic administration," Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed said.

The announcement of the scaled-down drills came as the only US aircraft carrier operating in the Pacific region, the USS George Washington, is being redeployed to the Middle East to relieve the long-deployed USS Lincoln, which has been the focus of concerns over mental health and supply issues. (AFP)



Edited by Cecil Wong