SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expressed openness to future talks with the United States provided he can maintain his nuclear arsenal while recalling positive memories of former President Donald Trump.
Kim referenced his three high-profile summits with Trump during the latter’s first term before negotiations collapsed in 2019 over Pyongyang’s unwillingness to make concessions on its nuclear weapons program.
The longstanding US demand for North Korea to abandon its banned weapons remains a primary obstacle between the nations despite multiple rounds of United Nations sanctions.
Kim stated through the official Korean Central News Agency that meetings could resume if Washington discards its denuclearisation obsession and genuinely seeks peaceful coexistence based on reality recognition.
The North Korean leader personally acknowledged maintaining fond memories of Trump during a comprehensive address to the country’s rubber-stamp parliament.
North Korea has consistently declared itself an irreversible nuclear state since the failed 2019 Hanoi summit and firmly rejected any possibility of denuclearisation.
Kim emphasised that global observers understand what happens when the United States forces countries to surrender nuclear capabilities and disarm against their will.
The authoritarian leader asserted that sanctions have ultimately strengthened North Korea’s endurance and resistance against external pressure.
Kim explicitly rejected engagement with South Korea despite new President Lee Jae-myung’s efforts to reduce tensions between the two nations.
North Korea has designated South Korea as its principal enemy in recent years while destroying rail and road connections between the countries.
Analyst Yang Moo-jin noted that Kim’s lengthy justifications reflected both confidence and desperation while serving domestic stability purposes alongside international messaging.
Kim has gained significant emboldenment from the Ukraine conflict through critical Russian support following Pyongyang’s deployment of thousands of troops to assist Moscow.
North Korea has emerged as one of Russia’s primary allies since the invasion of Ukraine three-and-a-half years ago through military personnel and weapon shipments supporting Kremlin objectives.
Moscow and Pyongyang formalised their relationship through a mutual defence pact during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the reclusive state last year.
Seoul has repeatedly cautioned about Russia’s increasing support for North Korea including potential transfers of sensitive military technology.
Trump’s anticipated visit to South Korea next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in Gyeongju adds timing significance to Kim’s statements.
Analyst Lim Eul-chul suggested the remarks appeared calculated ahead of Trump’s APEC summit visit while appealing to the former president’s Nobel Prize aspirations. – AFP
