Pyongyang says another summit with US 'unnecessary,' 'useless'
Kim Yo-jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong-un, said Friday in a statement to the Korean Central News Agency that another summit with the United States is "unnecessary" and "useless" for North Korea as long as there is no change in Washington's negotiating position. Korea Times file
Another summit with the United States is "unnecessary" and "useless" for North Korea as long as there is no change in Washington's negotiating position, the sister of leader Kim Jong-un said Friday.
Kim Yo-jong made the remark in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. is "very hopeful" about continuing dialogue with the North, including another summit between the two countries.
"This is my personal opinion but any summit between the U.S. and North Korea will not take place this year," Kim Yo-jong said. "As long as there is no decisive change in the U.S. position, a summit between the DPRK and the U.S. is unnecessary and useless this year and in the future at least for us."
That, however, does not mean that the North is not going to denuclearize, she said.
"We are not saying we are not going to denuclearize, but that we cannot denuclearize now," she said, calling on the U.S. to take "major steps."
She also called for the U.S. to drop its "hostile policy" toward the North.
"I believe that the framework of sanctions relief for denuclearization underlying in the past negotiations between North Korea and the U.S. should be changed to 'resumption of North Korea-U.S. negotiations for withdrawal of hostilities."
Kim also said the North won't go back to its previous proposal to give up its Yongbyon nuclear complex in exchange for sanctions relief from the U.S. The North made the proposal during last year's second summit in Hanoi, but the meeting broke down without a deal.
Nuclear talks between the U.S. and the North have stalled since the no-deal summit in Hanoi last year between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The two sides held working-level talks later that year, but no progress was made.
Kim warned that it is "entirely up to the U.S. whether or not they will fall into a messy situation and face trouble," saying, "The U.S. will be worried they might receive a Christmas gift near the elections."
In Washington, Pompeo expressed hope for continuing talks with the U.S.
"We're very hopeful that we can continue to have this conversation, whether that's at levels beneath the summit, or if it's appropriate and there is a useful activity to take place, to have senior leaders get back together as well," he said. "As for who and how and timing, I just don't want to talk about that today." (Yonhap)