North Korea criticized Donald Trump’s administration’s unilateral sanctions on Thursday, labeling them as a manifestation of malicious intent. The regime insinuated that President Trump’s offer for dialogue was deceptive, signaling their current unwillingness to engage in talks with the U.S.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry Declared the Repetition of Sanctions is Merely Rehashing an Obsolete Script… Confirming the True Colors of the U.S.
Kim Eun-chul, the Deputy Foreign Minister for U.S. affairs, asserted in a statement released through the Korean Central News Agency that this latest round of sanctions has quashed speculation and public opinion regarding potential shifts in U.S. policy towards North Korea.
Kim emphasized that the U.S. administration has unequivocally demonstrated its intent to maintain hostility towards the nation, adding that they have accurately comprehended and reaffirmed the U.S.’s habitual tactics.
Previously, on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated eight North Korean individuals and two North Korean entities involved in cyber crimes and money laundering related to information technology (IT) worker scams as new sanctions targets.
This round of sanctions followed President Trump’s unsuccessful attempt to meet with Kim Jong Un during his visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit on October 29. Analysts suggest that the U.S. is ramping up pressure while building leverage for future negotiations with North Korea. In fact, President Trump stated on October 27 that it has sanctions and tis is a significant matter. There may be nothing more substantial than this, indicating his intention to use sanctions as a negotiating tool with North Korea.
However, North Korea appeared to directly refute Trump’s comments in Kim’s statement. He cautioned that the U.S. should abandon any expectations or delusions that its unique approach to the nation—rife with pressure, inducement, threats, and intimidation—will yield results. He stressed that U.S. sanctions would not influence North Korea’s perspective or approach toward the U.S., now or in the future. This implies that sanctions are no longer considered a bargaining chip.
Kim further noted that there is nothing more foolish than repeating a failed old script while expecting new outcomes, emphasizing that there will be no dialogue aimed at exchanging denuclearization for sanctions, as was attempted seven years ago.
North Korea Clarified its Position Regarding the Demand for Recognition as a Nuclear State and the Abandonment of Denuclearization Policies, While Showing Signs of Nuanced Tone Adjustment.
On November 1, when the issue of denuclearization resurfaced, North Korea reacted sharply.
Deputy Foreign Minister Park Myung-ho lambasted the South Korean government for stating that it would discuss denuclearization during the APEC summit, dismissing it as a pipe dream. Park declared that the very act of denying the status as a nuclear state while still harboring fantasies about achieving denuclearization blatantly reveals a lack of common sense.
Kim Jong Un indicated in his speech at the Supreme People’s Assembly in September that if the U.S. abandons its fixation on denuclearization and acknowledges reality, there would be no impediment to meeting. This suggests that North Korea’s sole condition for dialogue is the recognition of its status as a nuclear power and the abandonment of denuclearization policies, calling for a radically different approach than in the past.
Given that the Supreme Leader’s speeches serve as directives for North Korean authorities, Kim’s recent statement can be interpreted as a pointed response to recent actions by South Korea and the U.S. that attempt to rehash old strategies, urging for change.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, observed that this indicates that sanctions alone cannot alter North Korea’s stance. He added that North Korea appears to view the U.S. raising sanctions as an attempt to revisit the denuclearization negotiations of 2018. They are now demanding that the U.S. fully recognize them as a nuclear state and adopt a completely different posture.
Currently, North Korea seems to be distancing itself from the U.S. The regime is expected to prioritize domestic issues before considering any engagement with the U.S. as they prepare to establish a new five-year national policy at the 9th Party Congress early next year.
Notably, North Korea has issued both recent statements through the Deputy Foreign Minister, rather than deploying high-ranking officials like Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui or Kim Yo-jong, the Deputy Director of the Workers’ Party. This approach appears to indicate a calculated tone adjustment in anticipation of potential future talks between the leaders of North Korea and the U.S.
In his September speech, Kim Jong Un stated that he still personally have fond memories of the current U.S. President Trump, suggesting that dialogue between the two leaders remains a matter solely at the discretion of the Supreme Leader.