Duterte admires Kim Jong Un for taking steps to end Korean War

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday expressed his admiration of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for taking steps to denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, saying that he would even congratulate him when he meets him.

"Naging idol ko tuloy siya, [si] Kim Jong Un. For all of the time, he was pictured to be the bad boy of the community," Duterte said in a press conference at the Davao International Airport upon his arrival from Singapore.

"But with one master stroke, he is now the hero of everybody. He appear(s) to be amiable, jolly good fellow, and very accommodating," Duterte added.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim, in a historic meeting on Friday, committed to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, and sought to put an end to the Korean war.

Kim even offered to visit the South Korean capital of Seoul anytime if Moon invites him.

Duterte hopes that Kim will remain as he is today because "nobody is really after him."

"So I think ... the man of the hour would be Kim Jong Un. And someday, if I get to meet him, I'd like to congratulate him," he said.

"Sabihin ko sa kanya, 'bilib ako sa'yo. Marunong ka mag-timing.' Kaya heroism is sometimes left to chance, otherwise it's purposely timed," Duterte added.

Duterte is also hoping that Kim would befriend him in order to prevent further conflicts among Asian countries.

"Ituring na lang niya akong isang kaibigan because this will promote -- the impact is really, there is less stress now in the Korean Peninsula. And maybe, just maybe, we can avoid a war which nobody can win anyway." 

Kim had received lashing from Duterte, calling him "tarantado" and "buang" due to the North Korean leader's threats to trigger a nuclear war against the South, the United States and Japan. —Erwin Colcol/LBG, GMA News