What's in a name? Kim, Trump signatures show ambition, experts say

Kim Jong Un’s distinctive signature, penned on a historic agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, indicates his ambition and creativity, handwriting experts said.

Trump’s signature, by contrast, indicates a more guarded personality, they said.

Graphologist Koo Bon-jin said Kim’s signature suggested an ambitious man who is “intuitive, rather than rational and logical”.

“He also writes very fast, which indicates he’s quick-witted and impatient,” Koo added.

Kim’s signature contrasts with Trump’s angular, closely packed autograph, said Karen Leong, a body language expert and director of Singapore-based consultants Influence Solutions.

“There is tremendous space between each character, which indicates a creative individual who is open to taking on new ideas, to evolving,” Leong said of Kim’s signature. “It indicates a confident person with big dreams and ambitions.”

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Trump’s signature, which Leong said looked like “arrows or skyscrapers”, points to people who “tend to wear a mask to hide their true nature”.

“While both signatures are very different, as both men really have different personalities, both in their own way want to make their mark,” she added.

Ahn Chan-il, a former North Korean military officer who heads the World Institute for North Korea Studies in Seoul, said Kim’s slanting signature was similar to those of his father and grandfather, both former leaders of North Korea.

“Not just the Kim family, but ordinary North Koreans would try hard to imitate the handwriting, believing it’s nice and divine,” added Ahn, who defected to South Korea in 1979.

The slanting style is shared by Kim’s sister, Yo Jong, who was also at the signing on Tuesday.