President-elect Donald Trump's team is considering "pursuing direct talks" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in hopes of reducing the risks of armed conflict, Reuters has reported.

Citing two sources, Reuters reported Tuesday that "several" members of Trump's team see "a direct approach" from the president-elect as most likely to break the ice with Kim.

It said that the policy discussions are "fluid" and Trump has not yet made a final decision on the matter.

In his first term, Trump held three meetings with Kim — first in Singapore in 2018, followed by Vietnam and the truce village of Panmunjom on the inter-Korean border in 2019. However, no concrete results were achieved in denuclearizing North Korea through the talks.

The subsequent administration of President Joe Biden has not engaged directly with North Korea, while Pyongyang has further advanced its nuclear and missile arsenal.

Trump's reelection has reignited prospects for his summit diplomacy with Kim, especially after the president-elect named former State Department official Alex Wong as deputy national security adviser, noting that Wong "helped negotiate my summit with" Kim.

Reuters reported that an initial goal for Trump would be to "reestablish basic engagement," but further policy aims or a precise timetable have not been determined.

During his second presidential campaign, Trump hinted at a policy of pursuing direct engagement with Kim, boasting about his personal ties with him.

"I got along with Kim Jong-un of North Korea," Trump said during a campaign rally in August. "We also looked at his nuclear capability. It's very substantial. ... You know, getting along is a good thing. It's not a bad thing," he added.

Nearly three weeks after Trump's reelection, Kim Jong-un has not mentioned his presidential win.

Last week, Kim said during his speech at an arms exhibition in Pyongyang that North Korea had gone as far as possible in negotiations with the US, but it only confirmed the unchanging invasive and hostile policy toward North Korea.

He added there will never be an occasion for his country to relinquish the "pendulum of the military balance" on its own.

Some have voiced skepticism about the prospects of resuming summitry between Trump and Kim, citing North Korea's significantly advanced nuclear and missile programs, its close alignment with Russia, and more pressing security concerns for the US, such as the Russia-Ukraine war. (Yonhap)