North Korea takes a different approach when it comes to US President Donald Trump

Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's main newspaper for domestic readers, and the Korean Central Broadcasting Station both reported on the event. "In the United States, Donald Trump has been sworn in as president. He was elected the 47th president of the United States in the election last November and the inauguration ceremony was held on January 20 in Washington," the newspaper reported on page six under the foreign affairs section.

This is the first time North Korean media has reported on Trump since he was elected to a second term last year, and the coverage has been brief. Previously, North Korean media have reported on US presidential elections, albeit with a certain delay.

In November 2016, when Mr. Trump was first elected president, North Korea announced the results after more than 10 days. North Korea also kept quiet for about two months after Mr. Joe Biden was elected president in 2020 and first reported after he officially took office the following January.

Earlier on Trump's first day in office on January 20, US President Donald Trump described North Korea as a "nuclear power" and hoped North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would be "happy" to see him return to the White House.

Speaking at a press conference after his inauguration, President Trump said he was “very friendly” with the North Korean leader and “we have a good relationship.” He also called North Korea a “nuclear power,” a term that observers say could be seen as Washington’s recognition of Pyongyang’s nuclear program.

During his Senate confirmation hearing last week, US Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth also called North Korea a "nuclear power."

President Trump's remarks come amid growing expectations that he may seek to revive direct diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump could resume summit diplomacy with Kim amid expectations of seeking a "mini-deal" that would include freezing North Korea's nuclear programs or denuclearizing.

During his first term, Mr. Trump had three face-to-face meetings with Mr. Kim Jong Un, including the first historic summit in Singapore in 2018, a meeting in Vietnam in 2019 and one at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas. However, there is still much uncertainty about the prospects for resetting US-North Korea relations.