The White House announced on Thursday that President Donald Trump is open to unconditional dialogue with Kim Jong Un.
When asked by News1 about North Korean leader Kim’s statement that there would be no reason for poor relations with the U.S. if it abandons its hostile policies and respects North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state, a White House official responded.
The official emphasized that during his first term, President Trump held three historic summits with North Korean leader Kim, which helped stabilize the Korean Peninsula. They added that U.S. policy toward North Korea remains consistent.
In a comprehensive report at the 9th Workers’ Party Congress held on January 20-21, Kim declared that its status as a nuclear power serves as a powerful deterrent against potential threats from adversaries and maintains regional stability. He stressed that they’re fully prepared for confrontation with the U.S., as they are now, and will firmly maintain our strongest stance as an unwavering element of the policy toward the U.S.
However, Kim also stated that if the U.S. respects the nation’s current status as defined in the constitution and withdraws its hostile policies toward North Korea, there would be no reason for them to have poor relations with the U.S.
This statement suggests that North Korea may be open to negotiations if the U.S. recognizes its status as a nuclear power and lifts various sanctions.
In contrast, Kim maintained a hardline stance toward South Korea, asserting that they would forever exclude them from the category of its compatriots.