Rumours of a potential resurgence of the two leaders' once-famous diplomacy were stoked when South Korea announced Friday that there was a "considerable" likelihood that US President Donald Trump would meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his visit to the Korean Peninsula next week.
Chung Dong-young, the minister of unification for South Korea, told reporters in Seoul that "North Korea seems to be paying attention to the United States, and various signs suggest a considerable possibility of a meeting."

Chung's remarks coincide with Trump getting ready for his first trip to Asia since he returned to the White House, which will include trips in South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Seoul from October 31 to November 1.

If the meeting happens, it will be the first time Trump and Kim have met in over six years and the fourth time they have met since their most dramatic meeting at the inter-Korean border in June 2019, when Trump made an extraordinary diplomatic move by briefly entering North Korea.

Increasing indications but no confirmation
Chung's comments are the most compelling proof yet from Seoul that backchannel communications or unofficial signals might be in progress, even though neither Washington nor Pyongyang have announced any meeting arrangements.
Recent events, including the cancellation of civilian excursions to Panmunjom and Kim's glowing remarks about his previous interactions with Trump, "suggest that prospects for their meeting have increased," according to Ban Kil Joo, an assistant professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy in Seoul.