North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has expressed willingness to resume dialogue with the United States — but only if Washington abandons its long-standing demand for Pyongyang’s denuclearisation, state media reported Monday. In a speech before the Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim said there is “no reason to avoid talks” under those conditions, while simultaneously reaffirming that he would never relinquish North Korea’s nuclear weapons.
Invoking a sharp contrast with the posture of recent US and South Korean proposals, Kim described efforts toward phased nuclear reductions and diplomatic engagement as fundamentally insincere. He called the demands for denuclearisation an “absurd obsession” that seeks to weaken his regime. At the same time, he welcomed the notion of “genuine peaceful coexistence” if the US dropped that key precondition.
Kim also made rare direct mention of former President Donald Trump in his address, recalling their past meetings during Trump’s first term. He suggested that Trump should reconsider US policy toward North Korea, indicating that he might be willing to sit down with the US leader under a new framework that doesn’t demand giving up Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal.
From Seoul, the newly elected liberal South Korean government has urged the US to take the initiative in restarting diplomacy with Pyongyang. South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung has emphasized that a freeze in nuclear weapons production could be a first step toward trust-building and eventual disarmament, though he acknowledged that North Korea remains deeply distrustful of previous agreements.
Kim defended North Korea’s nuclear programme as essential for regime survival, citing repeated joint military drills by the United States and South Korea as threatening and even preparations for nuclear war. He dismissed sanctions and diplomatic isolation, saying they have only hardened Pyongyang’s resolve and made the regime more resilient.
The overture marks one of the most explicit signals from Pyongyang in recent years that it might be open to diplomatic engagement — but only on its own terms. Whether the US will respond, and whether South Korea or other regional players will either facilitate or block renewed talks, remains uncertain. Analysts say that the offer could be a test of Washington’s willingness to modify policy or risk further escalation.
Leave a comment