The anticipated meeting between North American leaders during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju ultimately fell through. However, on Thursday, assessments emerged suggesting that the spark for dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea has actually grown stronger, as President Donald Trump expressed a more enthusiastic desire to meet with Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, than initially expected.
Trump Consistently Extends Invitations for Dialogue with North Korea… Even Hinting at a Potential Visit
Throughout his recent Asian tour, President Trump seized every opportunity to send love calls to General Secretary Kim, proposing they meet.
On October 24, while aboard Air Force One en route to Malaysia, Trump referred to North Korea as a nuclear power, effectively acknowledging its status as a de facto nuclear state. This statement appeared to be a strategic move to entice General Secretary Kim into dialogue by recognizing the nuclear status that North Korea has long sought.
Later, on Monday, while flying from Malaysia to Japan, Trump remarked, If he (Kim) wants to meet, he could stay longer in South Korea, even suggesting that he might go over there, raising the possibility of an unexpected visit to North Korea during his stay in South Korea.
However, North Korea did not officially respond to these overtures. Instead, as Trump’s trip began, they revealed that Choe Son-hui, the Foreign Minister and chief negotiator for North Korea, was visiting Russia and Belarus. On the day of Trump’s visit to South Korea, they announced the launch of a cruise missile, indirectly signaling their lack of interest in dialogue with the U.S.
Ultimately, as Trump departed Japan for South Korea on Wednesday, he stated that its current focus is on the U.S.-China summit, adding that they will return, and he will meet with Kim in the not-too-distant future, implying that his meeting with General Secretary Kim had fallen through.
During a summit with President Lee Jae Myung, both leaders officially confirmed the failure of the North American leaders’ meeting.
Experts: North Korea May Feel Burdened by Rejection… Possibility of Intensified Behind-the-Scenes Working-Level Discussions
Analysts suggest that although this meeting did not materialize, it could pave the way for North Korea and the U.S. to activate practical lines of contact for future discussions.
While North Korea has not immediately responded to the U.S. proposal, experts believe it has not completely closed the door on dialogue. Instead, Pyongyang seems to be focusing on improving relations with China and Russia while keeping an eye on potential opportunities to engage with the U.S. later.
The fact that Trump is meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to negotiate a great power competition in economic and security matters may also factor into North Korea’s considerations. As North Korea seeks diplomatic support from China, it might feel pressured to avoid drawing international attention away from Xi’s big event and onto itself.
Nevertheless, some predict that General Secretary Kim may find rejecting this summit a diplomatic burden, especially given his special relationship with Trump. If Trump makes another diplomatic overture towards North Korea, it may be difficult for them to remain passive.
Consequently, some experts suggest that North Korea may initiate unofficial backchannel communications to proactively manage its relationship with the U.S.
Given the U.S.’s assertive stance, North Korea is likely to consider its diplomatic strategy more actively, especially in light of the upcoming 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party expected early next year.
Professor Im Eum-chul from Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies predicts that North Korea will solidify its foreign policy based on the outcomes of the South Korea-U.S. summit and the U.S.-China summit. They are likely to clearly announce their position on U.S.-North Korea dialogue at the 9th Party Congress, which is anticipated early next year.
This situation may also bolster the South Korean government’s North Korea policy.
Previously, President Lee proposed the so-called E·N·D Initiative, derived from the initial letters of Exchange, Normalization, and Denuclearization, as part of his vision for peace on the Korean Peninsula. He emphasized his intent to actively support U.S.-North Korea dialogue to advance this policy, especially in light of the complete breakdown of inter-Korean communication. The rekindled spark for dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea appears to be a positive step toward realizing the government’s initial vision.