Donald Trump
Donald TrumpReuters

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday he would "certainly be open" to meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, AFP reports.

Trump was asked by journalist Sharyl Attkisson, host of the "Full Measure" TV show, whether he would ever consider sitting down with "the dictator," and replied he was holding meetings with numerous Asian leaders.

"I would sit down with anybody," he said. "I don't think it's strength or weakness, I think sitting down with people is not a bad thing.”

"So I would certainly be open to doing that but we'll see where it goes, I think we're far too early," he added.

The comments aired as Trump began a tour of Asia, where he will meet local leaders. The discussions are expected to center on the North Korean threat.

Trump's conciliatory-sounding comment came after months of fiery rhetorical exchanges with Kim.

The North has denounced Trump as a "mentally deranged U.S. dotard," while Trump has mocked Kim as "Little Rocket Man" and has vowed to rain "fire and fury" down on the North if it threatens the United States or its allies.

On Sunday, upon arriving in Japan, Trump said North Korea was a "big problem for our country and for the world, and we want to get it solved".

The comment on willing to meet Kim appeared to be something of a reversal from a Twitter message he sent just over a month ago, in which he said that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was "wasting his time" trying to negotiate with the North Korean leader.

Despite Trump's tweet, a senior State Department official confirmed last week that the United States is quietly pursuing direct diplomacy with North Korea.