North Korea’s Kim says open to US talks if denuclearisation demands dropped

Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has suggested that if Washington stops enforcing demands on its nuclear weapons, he would open negotiations with the US.

There is no reason for us not to sit down with the United States, Kim said in a speech at the Supreme People’s Assembly in Pyongyang on Sunday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The North Korean leader also made a comment about US President Donald Trump, who he met three times during Trump’s first presidency, saying, “Personally, I still have fond memories of US President Trump.”

Kim’s comments follow Trump’s and Lee Jae-myung’s pledge to meet with their North Korean counterpart at a White House meeting last month.

I’ll see him someday, I promise. I’m anxious to meet him. Trump claimed at the time that he knew Kim, whose family has ruled North Korea for three generations, “better than anyone, almost, except his sister.”

Lee, who has vehemently opposed the thawing of relations with his nation’s northern neighbor since taking office in June, stated at the same meeting that he hoped the US president would “build a Trump Tower” in North Korea so that I can play golf there.

Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, described them as a “reckless” invasion rehearsal, despite Lee and Trump making an offer to help.

A more achievable objective

Lee has also indicated that he is willing to discuss negotiations with his country regarding North Korea’s nuclear weapons in recent interviews with the BBC and Reuters news agency.

Lee said he would be open to a more “realistic” outcome, including for North Korea to give up its existing arsenal, in a BBC interview on Sunday.

According to Lee, “I think there are clear benefits to having North Korea stop developing its nuclear and missile programs as long as we keep our eyes on the long-term goal of denuclearization.”

Lee acknowledged in an interview with Reuters that sanctions ultimately failed to stop Pyongyang, which adds 15 to 20 nuclear weapons annually, according to Lee in an interview with Reuters.

The reality is that the problem has only grown worse since the previous method of imposing sanctions and pressure, Lee claimed.

Kim also stated that sanctions have only strengthened and strengthened his country, despite reports that the country, which has a population of 26 million, has long experienced an a&nbsp food crisis. Addressing the Supreme People’s Assembly in Pyongyang on Sunday, Kim added.

There will never be any negotiations with enemies over exchanging items because they are so obsessed with lifting sanctions, Kim said, and it will never be for eternity.

Nearly 20 years ago, North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs were subject to sanctions from the UN.

Kim Jong Un, however, promised to “exponentially” boost his country’s nuclear arsenal in order to stand up to “hostile” forces last year.

The push comes in response to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) Yearbook’s recent annual report advising the nine nuclear-armed nations China, France, Israel, India, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the UK, and the United States of course.

Kim’s announcement that he is open to meeting with Washington follows his meeting with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, the head of Russia, in Beijing earlier this month to celebrate the 80th anniversary of World War II.

Trump said on his Truth Social platform, “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against the United States of America,” in remarks that were apparently addressed to Xi regarding the Beijing celebrations.

Source: Aljazeera