By Mummy Grace North Korea Briefly Acknowledges Trump’s Inauguration for Second Term
In a rare move, North Korea’s state-run media briefly covered the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025. This marks the first time North Korea has reported on Trump since he was re-elected as the 47th president of the United States last November.
The Rodong Sinmun newspaper and the Korean Central Broadcasting Station both ran short reports on the event, stating, “In the United States, Donald Trump has taken office as president,” with minimal commentary. The coverage appeared on the sixth page of Rodong Sinmun’s external news section, indicating a low-priority mention.
This approach mirrors North Korea’s historical pattern of delayed acknowledgment of U.S. elections. Notably, the country took over two months to recognize Joe Biden’s 2020 election win, only reporting after his official inauguration.
President Trump’s inauguration speech included remarks about North Korea, describing the nation as a “nuclear power” and expressing optimism about a potential revival of diplomatic talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump hinted at a desire to pursue a “small deal” to curb North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, potentially reigniting the summit diplomacy that defined his first term.
Trump and Kim met three times between 2018 and 2019, but their negotiations collapsed during the 2019 Hanoi summit. Whether Trump’s second term will lead to renewed progress remains to be seen, but experts believe his administration may explore new ways to engage Pyongyang.