Latest news with #Trump-Kim
Asahi Shimbun
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
North Korea dismisses U.S. intent to resume diplomacy on denuclearization
This undated photo provided on Sept. 13, 2024, by the North Korean government shows its leader Kim Jong Un, center, on an inspecting visit at what they say is an institute of nuclear weapons and a facility for nuclear materials at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) SEOUL--The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed the U.S.'s intent to resume diplomacy on North Korea's denuclearization, saying Tuesday the North flatly opposes any attempt to deny its position as a nuclear weapons state. In his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump has bragged of his personal ties with Kim Jong Un and expressed hopes of restarting nuclear diplomacy between them. Their high-stakes diplomacy in 2018-19 unraveled due to disputes over U.S.-led sanctions against North Korea. Kim has since executed weapons tests to modernize and expand his nuclear arsenal. In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong said she doesn't deny the personal relationship between her brother and Trump 'is not bad.' But she said if their personal relations are to serve the purpose of North Korea's denuclearization, North Korea would view it as 'nothing but a mockery.' She said it was worth considering that the year is 2025, not 2018 or 2019 — which was during Trump's first term — and any attempt to deny North Korea as a nuclear weapons state would be rejected. 'If the U.S. fails to accept the changed reality and persists in the failed past, the DPRK- U.S. meeting will remain as a 'hope' of the U.S. side,' Kim Yo Jong said, referring to her country by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. She said she was responding to reported comments by a U.S. official that Trump is open to talks on denuclearization. She likely was referring to a Saturday article by Yonhap news agency that cited an unidentified White House official as saying Trump 'remains open to engaging with Leader Kim to achieve a fully denuclearized North Korea.' Kim Yo Jong is a key official on the Central Committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party. She handles the country's relations with South Korea and the United States, and South Korean officials and experts believe she is the North's second-most powerful person after her brother. Experts have said previously that North Korea would only be interested in talks on a partial surrender of its nuclear capability in return for sanctions relief and other benefits, while retaining some of its nuclear weapons. The earlier Trump-Kim diplomacy collapsed after Trump rejected Kim's calls for extensive sanctions relief in return for dismantling his main nuclear complex, a limited denuclearization step. On Monday, Kim Yo Jong rebuffed overtures by South Korea's new liberal government, saying its 'blind trust' in the country's alliance with the U.S. and hostility toward North Korea make it no different from its conservative predecessor. Her comments imply that North Korea — now preoccupied with its expanding cooperation with Russia — sees no need to resume diplomacy with South Korea anytime soon.
Yomiuri Shimbun
a day ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
North Korea Dismisses US Intent to Resume Diplomacy on Denuclearization
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed the U.S.'s intent to resume diplomacy on North Korea's denuclearization, saying Tuesday the North flatly opposes any attempt to deny its position as a nuclear weapons state. In his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump has bragged of his personal ties with Kim Jong Un and expressed hopes of restarting nuclear diplomacy between them. Their high-stakes diplomacy in 2018-19 unraveled due to disputes over U.S.-led sanctions against North Korea. Kim has since executed weapons tests to modernize and expand his nuclear arsenal. In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong said she doesn't deny the personal relationship between her brother and Trump 'is not bad.' But she said if their personal relations are to serve the purpose of North Korea's denuclearization, North Korea would view it as 'nothing but a mockery.' She said it was worth considering that the year is 2025, not 2018 or 2019 — which was during Trump's first term — and any attempt to deny North Korea as a nuclear weapons state would be rejected. 'If the U.S. fails to accept the changed reality and persists in the failed past, the DPRK- U.S. meeting will remain as a 'hope' of the U.S. side,' Kim Yo Jong said, referring to her country by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. She said she was responding to reported comments by a U.S. official that Trump is open to talks on denuclearization. She likely was referring to a Saturday article by Yonhap news agency that cited an unidentified White House official as saying Trump 'remains open to engaging with Leader Kim to achieve a fully denuclearized North Korea.' Kim Yo Jong is a key official on the Central Committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party. She handles the country's relations with South Korea and the United States, and South Korean officials and experts believe she is the North's second-most powerful person after her brother. Experts have said previously that North Korea would only be interested in talks on a partial surrender of its nuclear capability in return for sanctions relief and other benefits, while retaining some of its nuclear weapons. The earlier Trump-Kim diplomacy collapsed after Trump rejected Kim's calls for extensive sanctions relief in return for dismantling his main nuclear complex, a limited denuclearization step. On Monday, Kim Yo Jong rebuffed overtures by South Korea's new liberal government, saying its 'blind trust' in the country's alliance with the U.S. and hostility toward North Korea make it no different from its conservative predecessor. Her comments imply that North Korea — now preoccupied with its expanding cooperation with Russia — sees no need to resume diplomacy with South Korea anytime soon.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
North Korea dismisses U.S. intent to resume diplomacy on denuclearisation
The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed the U.S.'s intent to resume diplomacy on North Korea's denuclearization, saying on Tuesday (July 29, 2025) the North flatly opposes any attempt to deny its position as a nuclear weapons state. In his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump has bragged of his personal ties with Kim Jong Un and expressed hopes of restarting nuclear diplomacy between them. Their high-stakes diplomacy in 2018-19 unraveled due to disputes over U.S.-led sanctions against North Korea. Kim has since executed weapons tests to modernize and expand his nuclear arsenal. In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong said she doesn't deny the personal relationship between her brother and Trump 'is not bad.' But she said if their personal relations are to serve the purpose of North Korea's denuclearization, North Korea would view it as 'nothing but a mockery.' She said it was worth considering that the year is 2025, not 2018 or 2019 — which was during Trump's first term — and any attempt to deny North Korea as a nuclear weapons state would be rejected. 'If the U.S. fails to accept the changed reality and persists in the failed past, the DPRK- U.S. meeting will remain as a 'hope' of the U.S. side,' Kim Yo Jong said, referring to her country by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. She said she was responding to reported comments by a U.S. official that Trump is open to talks on denuclearization. She likely was referring to a Saturday article by Yonhap news agency that cited an unidentified White House official as saying Trump 'remains open to engaging with Leader Kim to achieve a fully denuclearized North Korea.' Ms. Kim Yo Jong is a key official on the Central Committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party. She handles the country's relations with South Korea and the United States, and South Korean officials and experts believe she is the North's second-most powerful person after her brother. Experts have said previously that North Korea would only be interested in talks on a partial surrender of its nuclear capability in return for sanctions relief and other benefits, while retaining some of its nuclear weapons. The earlier Trump-Kim diplomacy collapsed after Trump rejected Kim's calls for extensive sanctions relief in return for dismantling his main nuclear complex, a limited denuclearization step. On Monday (July 28, 2025), Ms. Kim Yo Jong rebuffed overtures by South Korea's new liberal government, saying its 'blind trust' in the country's alliance with the U.S. and hostility toward North Korea make it no different from its conservative predecessor. Her comments imply that North Korea — now preoccupied with its expanding cooperation with Russia — sees no need to resume diplomacy with South Korea anytime soon.
The Hill
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Kim Jong Un's sister dismisses US intent to resume diplomacy on North Korea denuclearization
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed U.S. intent to resume diplomacy on North Korea's denuclearization, saying Tuesday the North flatly opposes any attempt to deny its position as a nuclear weapons state. Since beginning his second term in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly bragged of his personal ties with Kim Jong Un and expressed hopes of restarting nuclear diplomacy between them. Their high-stakes diplomacy in 2018-19 unraveled due to disputes over U.S.-led sanctions. Kim has since performed a provocative run of weapons tests to modernize and expand his nuclear arsenal. In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong said that 'It is worth taking into account the fact that the year 2025 is neither 2018 nor 2019.' 'Any attempt to deny the position of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state which was established along with the existence of a powerful nuclear deterrent and fixed by the supreme law reflecting the unanimous will of all the DPRK people will be thoroughly rejected,' she said, referring to her country by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. She said she was responding to reported comments by a U.S. official that Trump is still open to talks with Kim Jong Un on the North's complete denuclearization. She likely was referring to a Saturday article by Yonhap news agency that cited an unidentified White House official as saying that Trump 'remains open to engaging with Leader Kim to achieve a fully denuclearized North Korea.' Kim Yo Jong said she doesn't deny the personal relationship between her brother and Trump 'is not bad.' But she said if their personal relations are to serve the purpose of North Korea's denuclearization, North Korea would view it as 'nothing but a mockery.' 'If the U.S. fails to accept the changed reality and persists in the failed past, the DPRK- U.S. meeting will remain as a 'hope' of the U.S. side,' Kim Yo Jong said. Her comments suggested complete denuclearization won't be up for negotiation. Experts earlier said North Korea would only be interested in talks on a partial surrender of its nuclear capability in return for sanctions relief and other benefits, a tactic that could allow North Korea to retain some of its key nuclear weapons after winning what it wants from the U.S. The earlier Trump-Kim diplomacy collapsed after Trump rejected Kim's calls for extensive sanctions relief in return for dismantling his main nuclear complex, a limited denuclearization step. On Monday, Kim Yo Jong rebuffed overtures by South Korea's new liberal government, saying its 'blind trust' in the country's alliance with the U.S. and hostility toward North Korea make it no different from its conservative predecessor. Her comments imply that North Korea — now preoccupied with its expanding cooperation with Russia — sees no need to resume diplomacy with South Korea anytime soon. Experts say Kim Yo Jong also likely seeks to drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Kim Jong Un's sister dismisses US intent to resume diplomacy on North Korea denuclearization
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed U.S. intent to resume diplomacy on North Korea's denuclearization, saying Tuesday the North flatly opposes any attempt to deny its position as a nuclear weapons state. Since beginning his second term in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly bragged of his personal ties with Kim Jong Un and expressed hopes of restarting nuclear diplomacy between them. Their high-stakes diplomacy in 2018-19 unraveled due to disputes over U.S.-led sanctions. Kim has since performed a provocative run of weapons tests to modernize and expand his nuclear arsenal. In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong said that 'It is worth taking into account the fact that the year 2025 is neither 2018 nor 2019.' 'Any attempt to deny the position of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state which was established along with the existence of a powerful nuclear deterrent and fixed by the supreme law reflecting the unanimous will of all the DPRK people will be thoroughly rejected,' she said, referring to her country by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. She said she was responding to reported comments by a U.S. official that Trump is still open to talks with Kim Jong Un on the North's complete denuclearization. She likely was referring to a Saturday article by Yonhap news agency that cited an unidentified White House official as saying that Trump 'remains open to engaging with Leader Kim to achieve a fully denuclearized North Korea.' Kim Yo Jong said she doesn't deny the personal relationship between her brother and Trump 'is not bad.' But she said if their personal relations are to serve the purpose of North Korea's denuclearization, North Korea would view it as 'nothing but a mockery." 'If the U.S. fails to accept the changed reality and persists in the failed past, the DPRK- U.S. meeting will remain as a 'hope' of the U.S. side,' Kim Yo Jong said. The earlier Trump-Kim diplomacy collapsed after Trump rejected Kim's calls for extensive sanctions relief in return for dismantling his main nuclear complex, a limited denuclearization step. On Monday, Kim Yo Jong rebuffed overtures by South Korea's new liberal government, saying its 'blind trust' in the country's alliance with the U.S. and hostility toward North Korea make it no different from its conservative predecessor. Her comments imply that North Korea — now preoccupied with its expanding cooperation with Russia — sees no need to resume diplomacy with South Korea anytime soon. Experts say Kim Yo Jong also likely seeks to drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington.
