Seoul: The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated on Tuesday that personal ties between the leaders of North Korea and the United States are "not bad," while she dismissed any potential talks on Pyongyang's denuclearization. Kim Yo-jong, who serves as the vice department director of the ruling party's Central Committee, made these remarks amid U.S. President Donald Trump's expressed intent to reengage with North Korea's leader.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Yo-jong acknowledged the positive personal relationship between the heads of state but emphasized that using such relations to push for denuclearization would be perceived as mockery. Her statement was broadcasted by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), highlighting the stance that any attempt to deny the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as a nuclear state will be firmly rejected.
The remarks come shortly after a White House official mentioned that Trump remains open to engaging with the North Korean leader to achieve a "fully denuclearized" North Korea. Expectations are that Trump might aim to revive his personal diplomacy with Kim Jong-un, which previously led to three summits, including the historic 2018 meeting in Singapore. However, the 2019 Hanoi summit did not result in a deal due to disagreements over denuclearization steps in exchange for sanctions relief.
Kim Yo-jong stressed the importance of recognizing North Korea's status as a nuclear state and called for a new approach from the U.S. based on "new thinking." She suggested that the confrontational path between two nuclear-armed nations is not beneficial and urged for innovative diplomatic methods.
Responding to Kim's statement, South Korea's unification ministry reiterated its support for resuming dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. to address the nuclear issue. A ministry official expressed a commitment to fostering peace on the Korean Peninsula and ensuring stability in Northeast Asia by supporting renewed talks.
Experts suggest that while North Korea remains firm in its stance against denuclearization discussions, it may still be open to engaging with the U.S. on other matters. Kim Yo-jong's latest comments followed a previous statement condemning South Korea for its allegiance to the South Korea-U.S. alliance and rejecting dialogue with Seoul.
North Korea's recent alignment with Russia amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is seen as a strategic move to bypass international sanctions by relying on Russia for essential resources.