Trump receives letter from Kim Jong Un, says he’s ready to meet again

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he received a “great” letter from Kim Jong Un and that he is ready to hold a second meeting with the North Korean leader.

During a meeting with his Cabinet, on the 12th day of the partial government shutdown, Trump said that he and Kim have “really established a very good relationship” but that he is “not in any rush” to hold a second summit.

The president said that he had avoided a “big fat war in Asia” by meeting with Kim in Singapore last summer and that Pyongyang “really (wants) to do something” to reduce tensions with Washington.

The revelation of the letter comes after the North Korean leader warned in his New Year’s address that if the US does not reduce political and economic sanctions on his country, he would be forced to renege on his agreements with Washington and take other measures.

Kim did not specify what alternative measures he might be referring to, but on earlier occasions the Pyongyang regime has threatened to continue with its nuclear program in response to US and United Nations sanctions.

In his speech, Kim also said that he was ready to hold a second meeting with Trump.

“I am willing to meet the United States president at any time for the betterment of our international community,” Kim said in his New Year’s Day speech.

Trump responded to Kim on Tuesday night with a Twitter message in which he said that “I ... look forward to meeting with Chairman Kim who realizes so well that North Korea possesses great economic potential!”