North Korea, dispatching a high-level delegation to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly for the first time in seven years, maintained its stance of ‘no denuclearization’ while hinting at the possibility of dialogue with the U.S., provided that denuclearization is not on the agenda.
It appears that North Korea will closely monitor U.S. actions while keeping the door open for dialogue until the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled to begin on October 31 in Gyeongju.
On Monday, Kim Sun-kyung, North Korea’s Deputy Foreign Minister, reaffirmed their unwavering position against denuclearization during a speech at the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, stating that it will never relinquish the nuclear weapons, and this stance will not change under any circumstances.
He forcefully argued that demanding denuclearization is equivalent to asking North Korea to surrender its sovereignty, forfeit its right to survival, and violate its constitution. He reiterated that both South Korea and the U.S. must abandon their calls for denuclearization.
However, he added that as in the past, we will continue to oppose aggression, interference, domination, and subjugation. They will cooperate with all nations that pursue independence and justice, irrespective of ideological and systemic differences. They will develop multifaceted exchanges and cooperation with countries that respect and treat North Korea amicably.
This statement implies that North Korea is open to dialogue with countries of varying ideologies and systems, provided they show respect and goodwill toward it, indirectly suggesting the possibility of U.S.-North Korea talks.
Despite sending a high-level delegation to New York in an apparent gesture toward the U.S., North Korea refrained from delivering any direct messages to the U.S. in its speech.
Professor Lim Eum-chul of Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies observed that Kim’s speech contains multiple layers. The fact that a Deputy Foreign Minister delivered a speech typically reserved for North Korea’s UN ambassador clearly indicates an awareness of the U.S. However, upon analyzing the content, it appears more aimed at justifying their nuclear status to UN member states rather than directly addressing the U.S.”
North Korea has yet to respond to President Lee Jae Myung’s E.N.D (Exchange, Normalization of Relations, Denuclearization) Initiative, presented during his keynote speech at the UN General Assembly on September 23, even a week later. Deputy Minister Kim’s speech also made no mention of President Lee’s North Korea policy.
Currently, as both South Korea and the U.S. contemplate the potential for U.S.-North Korea talks around the APEC summit, North Korea is likely to meticulously monitor their moves while formulating its response strategy.
Earlier on Monday, Foreign Minister Cho Hyeon hinted at ongoing communication between South Korea and the U.S. during an MBC interview, stating that they are preparing for various scenarios regarding potential U.S.-North Korea talks around the APEC summit.
President Donald Trump also expressed a desire to meet with Kim Jong Un by year’s end during a summit with President Lee at the White House on August 25.
Experts believe that, similarly to the surprise meeting between President Trump and General Secretary Kim Jong Un at Panmunjom following the G20 summit in Japan in June 2019, an unexpected meeting could occur once again this time.
Professor Lim remarked that both sides desire dialogue but are hesitant to take the first definitive step. While there hasn’t been significant progress yet, if the U.S. adopts a more proactive approach, Kim Jong Un might respond, potentially leading to an unexpected meeting.
