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South Korean President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with US President Donald Trump in the White House’s Oval Office on May 22. (Blue House photo pool)

During a press conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in prior to their tête-à-tête at the White House on May 22, US President Donald Trump responded to a question by a South Korean reporter by saying that he has “great confidence” in Moon’s role as a mediator.

“I think that he's brought a different perspective to the talks with North Korea. He wants to be able to make a deal,” Trump said. “Now you've had some very hardline administrations, and you have President Moon.”

“I think he's a very capable person. I think he's an extremely competent man. I think he's a very good person, and I think he wants to have what's good for the Korean Peninsula. Not just North or South,” Trump said, referring to President Moon.

“So I have tremendous confidence in President Moon. And I think that his way [. . .] really is helping us to potentially make a deal,” Trump emphasized.

“This is a good man and he is a very capable man. And I think South Korea is very lucky to have him,” Trump said, before asking for his compliments to be interpreted for Moon.

After that, Trump turned to Moon and said, “Did I do a good job? I can't do better than that. That's called an A-plus rating.”

While Trump was voicing suspicions that Chinese President Xi Jinping had exerted his influence to bring about the recent changes in North Korea, he also asked Moon for his viewpoint: “Now President Moon may have a different opinion [about Kim Jong-un’s second meeting with Xi], I'd like to have your opinion on that.”

But shortly afterward, Trump was courteous enough to give Moon the option of not replying. “I don't want to get him in trouble, he lives next to China,” Trump said.

By Yi Yong-in, Washington correspondent

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