US President Donald Trump said Friday that North Korea was "sort of a nuclear power" as he left the United States for Asia on a trip that could include a meeting with Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong Un.

 

Asked aboard Air Force One whether he was open to North Korea's demand to be recognised as a nuclear state as a precondition for dialogue with Washington, Trump replied: "Well, I think they are sort of a nuclear power.

 

"When you say they have to be recognized as a nuclear power, well, they got a lot of nuclear weapons, I'll say that."

 

Trump is expected in South Korea on Wednesday for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum.

 

US media have previously reported officials from his administration have privately discussed setting up a meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim, who he last held talks with in 2019.

 

Trump has said he hopes to meet Kim again -- possibly this year.

 

Trump's Asia Tour

Trump left on Friday for Asia and high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

 

He is set to meet Xi in South Korea on the last day of his regional swing in a bid to seal a deal to end the bruising trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

 

He will also visit Malaysia and Japan on his first trip to Asia since he returned to the White House in January in a blaze of tariffs and international dealmaking.

 

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he hoped for a "very good meeting" with Xi, adding that he expected China to make a deal to avoid further 100 percent tariffs that are due to come into effect on November 1.

 

As he left Washington, Trump added to speculation that while on the Korean peninsula he could meet Kim Jong Un for the first time since 2019.

 

"I would. If you want to put out the word, I'm open to it," Trump added aboard the presidential plane. "I had a great relationship with him."