North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expressed a willingness to engage in future discussions with the United States, on the condition that Washington drops its demand for North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons, according to state media reports on Monday.
Kim also reflected on his past meetings with former U.S. President Donald Trump, with whom he held three high-profile summits during Trump’s first term. However, talks ultimately broke down in Hanoi in 2019 due to disagreements over the concessions North Korea was ready to offer.
“If the United States discards its delusional obsession with denuclearisation and, based on recognising reality, truly wishes for peaceful coexistence with us, then there is no reason we cannot meet it,” Kim said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
The demand that Kim give up his nuclear arsenal has long been a sticking point between the two countries, with Pyongyang facing successive rounds of UN sanctions over its banned weapons programmes. Kim argued that sanctions had only helped North Korea in “growing stronger, building endurance and resistance that cannot be crushed by any pressure.”
“I still personally hold fond memories of the current US president, Trump,” Kim added during a wide-ranging speech to North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament.
Since the failed 2019 summit, North Korea has repeatedly declared it will never give up its nuclear weapons and has proclaimed itself an “irreversible” nuclear state. Kim reiterated that denuclearisation was not an option.
“The world already knows well what the United States does after it forces a country to give up its nuclear arms and disarm,” he said. “We will never give up our nuclear weapons.”
Kim also dismissed the idea of talks with South Korea, despite efforts by Seoul’s new President Lee Jae-myung to ease tensions with the North.
“We make it clear that we will not deal with them in any form,” Kim stated.
### Strengthening Ties with Russia
In recent years, North Korea has declared South Korea its principal enemy and has destroyed rail links and roads connecting the two countries. Analysts note that Kim has been emboldened by the war in Ukraine, securing critical support from Russia after reportedly sending thousands of North Korean troops to fight alongside Moscow.
North Korea has become one of Russia’s key allies since Moscow invaded Ukraine three and a half years ago. The regime has sent thousands of soldiers and container loads of weapons to help the Kremlin repel Ukrainian forces from western Russia, following Kyiv’s surprise incursion last year.
Last year, Moscow and Pyongyang signed a mutual defense agreement during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea. Seoul has expressed concern over Russia’s increasing support for North Korea, particularly around the possible transfer of sensitive Russian military technology.
### Upcoming Events and Diplomatic Moves
Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit South Korea next month, coinciding with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, which will be held in the southern city of Gyeongju.
Kim Jong Un, who typically remains within North Korea’s borders, made a rare trip to Russia’s Far East in 2023. More recently, he visited Beijing this month aboard his armored train. During that visit, Kim stood alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a large-scale parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II.
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