Trump in Seoul: China's Xi 'very helpful' on DPRK issues

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Chinese President Xi Jinping has been "very helpful" in dealing with the nuclear issues related to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), US President Donald Trump said Tuesday, a day before he heads to Beijing, during a joint press conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the presidential Blue House in Seoul.

Pyongyang is "a worldwide threat that requires worldwide action," said Trump, adding that Xi "really has been very, very helpful."

"All nations must implement UN Security Council regulations and cease trade and business entirely with North Korea (DPRK)," Trump emphasized.

US President Donald Trump and S. Korea's President Moon Jae-in hold a joint press conference at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, S. Korea, November 7, 2017. /Reuters Photo

'Progress' on the DPRK issues

Trump insisted that "we are making a lot of progress" on DPRK nuclear issues during the joint press conference.

He also claimed that the US is prepared to use the full range of American military might in order to halt Pyongyang's march towards becoming a full-fledged nuclear power.

But he added: "It makes sense for North Korea (DPRK) to come to the table to make a deal that is good for the people of North Korea (DPRK) and the people of the world."

When asked about whether he would accept a direct dialogue offer from the DPRK, Trump declined to comment.

President Moon also told reporters that he and Trump reached an agreement to peacefully resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Trump's tone in Seoul was in marked contrast to previous rhetoric. Only a day earlier, Trump had declared in Tokyo on the first leg of his Asia tour that the time was over for "strategic patience" with Pyongyang.

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Trump lambasts KORUS deal

Trump took issue with the South Korea-US Free Trade Agreement, called KORUS FTA, telling the press conference that the current free trade pact with South Korea was "unsuccessful and not very good for the United States."

Describing trade as "one of my favorite subjects," Trump said, "currently we are looking at ways of improving our economic relationship."

However, he added that he was "confident" that the two sides will be able to reach a "free, fair and reciprocal" trade deal.

Meanwhile, the US president said the country's trade deficit with South Korea will be brought down, as the amount of military equipment the country will order from the US will increase "very substantially."

US President Donald Trump gestures during a joint press conference with South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in at the presidential Blue House in Seoul on November 7, 2017. /AFP Photo

"You'll be buying a lot of our military equipment. There's nobody that comes close whether it's the planes, missiles, ships and anything you wanna talk about," said Trump during an expanded summit meeting with Moon, attended by top-level government officials from both sides.

The US leader repeatedly expressed appreciation for S. Korea's "big purchase orders" of US military weapons, according to local TV footage showing Trump's introductory remarks before the expanded summit.

Unscheduled greeting between Trump and Moon

Trump, on the second stop of his lengthy Asian tour, arrived in South Korea around noon Tuesday, and visited Camp Humphreys, a newly renovated US military base in Pyeongtaek, about 40 km south of Seoul.

The South Korean president greeted the US leader at the base, an unscheduled greeting which was called an "exceptional" act of protocol toward Trump by local media outlets.

During talks at the camp, the two sides reassured each other of their mutual military commitment, including the US providing what they called "strategic" military assets.

They also had lunch together with service members of both South Korea and the US Forces Korea (USFK) at Camp Humphreys, which is seen as the world's largest overseas army base of the US military.