North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country is open to talks with the United States provided Washington abandons its demand for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear arsenal, according to a Monday report from state news agency KCNA.
Speaking before the Supreme People’s Assembly on Sunday, Kim recalled his previous encounters with US President Donald Trump. The two leaders met on three separate occasions during Trump’s first term.
“If the United States drops the absurd obsession with denuclearising us and accepts reality, and wants genuine peaceful coexistence, there is no reason for us not to sit down with the United States,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying, reports agencies.
Kim argued that developing nuclear weapons was a matter of national survival, saying they were essential to counter what he described as severe threats posed by United States and South Korea.
He dismissed recent attempts by the United States and South Korea to re-establish dialogue, saying their underlying aim was unchanged—to weaken the North and eventually topple his government. A phased disarmament plan suggested by Seoul was, in his view, evidence of that intent.
Since taking office in June, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has promoted engagement with Pyongyang. He has urged confidence-building measures and proposed a gradual process to eliminate the North’s nuclear programme.
In an interview with news agencies, Lee acknowledged the serious challenges facing any attempt to revive talks but maintained that a phased approach was the most practical path forward. He added that creating favourable conditions for negotiations was key and suggested that Trump could play an important role in that process.
