SEOUL, Sept 22: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said he is open to resuming talks with the United States, provided Washington drops its demand for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear arsenal.
Speaking at the Supreme People’s Assembly yesterday, Kim stressed that nuclear weapons were non-negotiable and essential for his country’s security.
“Personally, I still have fond memories of US President Donald Trump,” Kim was quoted by the state media as saying, recalling their three meetings during Trump’s first term. Analysts noted it was the first time Kim had mentioned Trump by name since his return to office in January.
Kim framed his remarks as a conditional invitation, suggesting dialogue was possible if Washington sought “peaceful coexistence” rather than insisting on denuclearisation. However, he rejected recent overtures from both the US and South Korea, accusing them of disguising efforts to undermine his regime.
The comments come amid calls from South Korean President Lee Jae Myung for Trump to re-engage with Pyongyang. Lee, who has warned that North Korea is producing as many as 20 nuclear bombs a year, has argued that even a production freeze could pave the way for gradual disarmament. Kim dismissed such phased proposals as a trap.
Sanctions, which have been in place since North Korea’s first nuclear test in 2006, have not deterred Pyongyang’s weapons programme. Kim described them as a “lesson” that had only made the country stronger, while vowing never to follow the path of states that gave up their nuclear deterrent.
Experts see Kim’s praise of Trump as an attempt to reopen a personal channel while excluding Seoul from the equation. “This is Kim’s signal that he is willing to talk, on his terms,” said Rachel Minyoung Lee of the Stimson Center.
*(UNI)
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