North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the opening of a new defence museum displaying the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), as US President Donald Trump indicated he might meet him during a visit to Asia next month.
According to Reuters, North Korean state media published photographs on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, showing Kim at the Defence Revolution Museum, which opened on Sunday. His wife, Ri Sol Ju, and daughter, known as Ju Ae, accompanied him.
The displays included drones and missiles developed under Kim’s leadership. Images of the Hwasong-20 launcher appeared to show a multiple-warhead design and a map suggesting ranges extending beyond the United States.
However, the Hwasong-20 has not been independently demonstrated to possess all the capabilities suggested by the exhibition. A display is not proof that a missile or its payload is operational.
Trump Leaves Open Prospect of Meeting
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, 12 October, Trump said he might meet Kim during his planned trip to Asia. Yonhap News Agency reported that Trump responded “I may” when asked whether a meeting could take place.
Trump is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, on 18 and 19 November. No meeting with Kim has been announced, and there is no confirmed agreement to resume negotiations.
The two leaders previously met in Singapore in 2018, Hanoi in 2019 and at the inter-Korean border later in 2019. Their earlier diplomacy did not produce a lasting agreement on North Korea’s nuclear programme.
Missile Launches Add to Regional Tensions
The museum report followed another round of North Korean missile activity. South Korea’s military said Pyongyang launched several ballistic missiles towards its eastern waters on Monday, 12 October.
On Tuesday, senior diplomats from South Korea, the United States, and Japan discussed the launches and exchanged information about their responses, according to The Korea Times. North Korea said its latest test involved a tactical ballistic missile with an upgraded component.
The exhibition and the missile launches underline the continuing military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Neither event establishes that Pyongyang has accepted Washington’s suggestion of renewed talks.
Trivane View
The museum display highlights North Korea’s emphasis on long-range weapons, but claims about missile range and warhead capability require evidence beyond state media photographs.
Trump’s willingness to consider a meeting is a diplomatic signal, not a breakthrough. Any meaningful progress would depend on confirmed talks and substantive commitments from both governments.
