Seoul, South Korea (CNN) Kim Jong Un has praised his "special" relationship with US President Donald Trump, with one of North Korea's most respected diplomats telling state media the two leaders maintain "trust in each other." Kim Kye Gwan, a former nuclear negotiator who now serves as an adviser to the North Korean leader, said Kim Jong Un and Trump enjoy "close relations" -- a statement that appeared to pin the future of diplomatic talks between Washington and Pyongyang on the two leaders' unique connection. The statement was surprisingly optimistic given working-level talks between Washington and Pyongyang in Sweden collapsed earlier this month. North Korean diplomats said they broke off those negotiations because of what they described as US intransigence. The State Department disagreed, saying the two sides had a "good discussion."

Source: CNN October 24, 2019 05:03 UTC