The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    INTERVIEWAhn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You'

  • 3

    PHOTOSDecisive moments of Team Korea at Asian Games

  • 5

    Seoul's financial assistance for egg freezing draws attention from single women

  • 7

    Korea wins gold, silver in men's golf

  • 9

    Expressway congestion partially eases up as Koreans return home following Chuseok

  • 11

    Police launch belated probe into another teacher's suicide after parental harassment

  • 13

    Distraught roller skater apologizes for costly premature celebration

  • 15

    On the brink of a government shutdown, Senate tries to approve funding but it's almost too late

  • 17

    Korea makes last-ditch bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan

  • 19

    SHINee launches first Japan tour in 5 years

  • 2

    Korea blank China to reach men's football semifinals

  • 4

    Will blue crabs from Italy arrive on Korean dining tables?

  • 6

    Korea wins 1st gold in women's team badminton in nearly 30 yrs

  • 8

    Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions

  • 10

    KOICA pushes for $1.8 mil. project to support Nigeria's ICT education

  • 12

    Korea's drop in exports eases in Sept. on chip sales recovery

  • 14

    Germany's government and Elon Musk spar on X over migrant rescue ships

  • 16

    M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub

  • 18

    Heavy traffic jams mostly eased on 5th day of holiday

  • 20

    Last-gasp deal averts US government shutdown

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
North Korea
Tue, October 3, 2023 | 13:17
NK escalates tug-of-war with US ahead of summit
Posted : 2018-05-24 16:59
Updated : 2018-05-24 21:10
Park Ji-won
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Choe Son-hui, vice minister of North Korea's foreign ministry / Korea Times file
Choe Son-hui, vice minister of North Korea's foreign ministry / Korea Times file

By Park Ji-won

A senior North Korean diplomat said Thursday she would have to ask the country's leader Kim Jong-un to pull out of a planned meeting with President Donald Trump unless Washington stops "insulting" the regime.

This came after Trump hinted at the possibility of delaying the summit, scheduled for June 12 in Singapore, while meeting President Moon Jae-in at the White House, Tuesday.

Choe Son-hui, vice minister of the North's foreign ministry, was quoted by the country's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as condemning U.S. Vice President Mike Pence for his remarks made in an interview with Fox News, Monday, that the removal of the North's nuclear weapons could end up like the Libya model of denuclearization unless the North makes a deal with the U.S.

"It depends totally on the U.S. whether we will meet at the discussion venue or face each other in a nuclear war," the KCNA quoted her as saying.

"I, who am dealing with the U.S. affairs, am surprised that the U.S.'s vice president could say such stupid and ignorant remarks. If he is the vice president of the strongest country, he should understand what is going on in the world and feel the easing political tension. If the U.S. insults our goodwill and continues to take unlawful actions, I will officially suggest that we should reconsider holding the North-U.S summit to the leaders."

This is the second time for the North to put up a top diplomat, directly related to negotiations with the U.S., to criticize remarks on the Libya model and threaten to withdraw from the planned summit.

North Korea blows up Punggye-ri nuke site [PHOTOS]
North Korea blows up Punggye-ri nuke site [PHOTOS]
2018-05-24 18:51  |  North Korea

On May 16, North Korea threatened to cancel the Singapore summit, saying Washington was "unilaterally" demanding the regime relinquish its nuclear weapons according to a statement by North Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan released by the KCNA.

Kim said the North felt "repugnance" toward U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton and top officials and rejected the Libya model.

North Korea has been insisting along with China's Xi Jinping that it would take a step-by-step process in dismantling its nuclear program.

Choe also said "we will neither beg the U.S. for conversation nor make efforts to persuade them if they do not want to sit face-to-face with us."

The level of North's criticism against the U.S. has escalated compared to the last statement by Kim, but the rank of the official was lower.

Still, observers point out Choe's criticism did not mean the summit would be canceled, while noting it might be if the present situation continues.

"It is not a good sign for the North to make such a remark as it is hard to make an agreement even though they created a harmonious atmosphere for dialogue," Nam Sung-wook, a professor of North Korean studies at Korea University told The Korea Times.

"Choe's statement could be considered as the North's move to secure a leading position in setting the agenda, but if it goes too far, it could turn into distrust against each other leading to a failure to hold the summit."

When asked about the South Korean government's understanding of Choe's statement, officials said they were discussing the issue with related countries including the U.S. to achieve denuclearization at the Kim-Trump summit.

"The government is thoroughly analyzing the recent moves including Choe's statement. The government is having close discussions with the U.S. and other countries so that the goal of complete denuclearization that was settled on at the inter Korean summit can be achieved in the Kim-Trump summit," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Noh Kyu-duk said in a briefing.



Emailjwpark@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1[PHOTOS] Decisive moments of Team Korea at Asian Games PHOTOSDecisive moments of Team Korea at Asian Games
2Will blue crabs from Italy arrive on Korean dining tables?Will blue crabs from Italy arrive on Korean dining tables?
3Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions
4Korea makes last-ditch bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan Korea makes last-ditch bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan
5LA-based photographer captures Koreatown unfazed by pandemic LA-based photographer captures Koreatown unfazed by pandemic
6[INTERVIEW] It is premature to revise ROK-US mutual defense treaty: veterans' group head INTERVIEWIt is premature to revise ROK-US mutual defense treaty: veterans' group head
7Consumers to face higher prices for daily necessities after ChuseokConsumers to face higher prices for daily necessities after Chuseok
8Samsung chief visits Middle East to explore new businessesSamsung chief visits Middle East to explore new businesses
9Internet-only banks outperform legacy lenders in labor productivityInternet-only banks outperform legacy lenders in labor productivity
10Block Party returns to Yongsan for 2nd yearBlock Party returns to Yongsan for 2nd year
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Ahn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You' INTERVIEWAhn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You'
2'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman' tops Chuseok holiday box office 'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman' tops Chuseok holiday box office
3M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub
4Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art
5[INTERVIEW] With '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting INTERVIEWWith '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group