US, allies reaffirm North Korea denuclearization as Trump eyes Kim meeting

The US, South Korea, and Japan recommitted Friday to "complete denuclearization" of North Korea during G20 talks in Atlanta, even as speculation grows about a Trump-Kim Jong Un meeting at next month's APEC summit in China. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his counterparts also pledged full enforcement of UN sanctions targeting Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.

North Korea, backed by Russia and China, has legally enshrined its nuclear status and rejects disarmament. Trump has scaled back joint military drills with Seoul and called North Korea "sort of a nuclear power," signaling openness to talks. South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung proposes a freeze-for-sanctions-relief deal—critics warn this effectively accepts a nuclear-armed North.

For Nigeria, this matters because prolonged tensions on the Korean Peninsula can disrupt global supply chains, affect oil prices, and shift great-power competition between US and China/Russia—dynamics that influence Africa's diplomatic and economic positioning. A Trump-Kim breakthrough could ease sanctions pressure on North Korea's partners, while collapse of talks risks escalation.

Watch for: Whether APEC produces a Trump-Kim meeting, if South Korea's freeze proposal gains traction in Washington, and how China balances its North Korea alliance with broader strategic goals.

With US-China rivalry intensifying, should Nigeria deepen ties with both powers or hedge toward one bloc?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/10/31/us-s-korea-japan-vow-complete-n-korea-denuclearisation/