April NK-US summit looms as both sides signal openness

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, front row center, salutes during a military parade at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, Wednesday, marking the Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, in this photo released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency the following day. Back row second from left is his daughter, Kim Ju-ae. Yonhap

Speculation is growing over a possible summit between North Korea and the United States as both sides have recently signaled a willingness to engage in dialogue.

Analysts say a bilateral meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may be possible in line with Trump’s planned visit to China in April. But they also say the chances of a summit resulting in tangible outcomes remain uncertain, as Pyongyang implied talks could take place only if certain conditions are met.

The signal for potential talks came in Kim’s remarks during a policy review session from Friday to Saturday at the Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.

"There is no reason for the two countries not to get along if the U.S. respects our country's current state as defined in the constitution and withdraws its hostile policy toward North Korea," Kim was quoted as saying by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Thursday.

"The prospect of North Korea-U.S. relations totally depends on the U.S.' attitude ... We are prepared for peaceful coexistence or eternal confrontation, and the decision is not ours to make," he said.

With Kim describing the country as a nuclear-armed state, his remarks are widely interpreted as leaving the door open for talks while placing responsibility on Washington to begin negotiations by recognizing that status.

Hours after Kim's remarks were made public, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also suggested that dialogue is not off the table.

Speaking to reporters, Rubio said, “So whether it’s someone in Cuba or potentially one day someone in North Korea or right now in Iran, we are always open to listen.”

He added, “That’s different from a negotiation, obviously, but we’re prepared to listen to viewpoints that other people say.”

Kim and Rubio's remarks came amid continued speculation in diplomatic circles that Trump’s planned visit to China from late March to early April could create an opportunity for contact between the two sides.

Experts say a meeting between the leaders cannot be ruled out. “My assessment is that the meeting itself could happen,” said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University. “From Trump’s perspective, the meeting itself is what matters.”

He cautioned, however, that reaching an agreement would be a separate issue. “Whether they can actually reach a deal is another question. Aligning conditions between the two sides would not be easy,” he said.

Park said North Korea’s demand for the withdrawal of hostile policies could include steps such as scaling down joint military exercises or limiting deployments of U.S. strategic assets. If talks were to take place, he added, they would more likely resemble discussions on arms control rather than negotiations centered on denuclearization.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters in a departure lounge before returning to Washington following meetings with Caribbean community leaders, at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Wednesday. AFP-Yonhap

Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, likewise said that formal recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state is not a realistic option for Washington. However, he noted that talks themselves could occur under certain conditions.

“If a meeting takes place without the denuclearization agenda being placed upfront, it would effectively present tacit recognition of North Korea as a nuclear-armed country,” Hong said. “That possibility does exist.” He added that such a scenario would depend on whether Trump is willing to propose talks without emphasizing denuclearization as a precondition.

Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said Pyongyang’s latest message clarified that dialogue would not be possible unless Washington abandons its hostile policy toward the North. At the same time, he noted that “by presenting preconditions, North Korea has left open the possibility of dialogue with the U.S.”

Lim Eul-chul, a North Korea expert at Kyungnam University, said North Korea’s repeated description of its nuclear status as irreversible suggests that it is not willing to negotiate away its arsenal. “It has reached a point of no return,” Lim said.

Analysts also noted the contrast in Pyongyang’s messaging toward Seoul and Washington, as Kim called the Lee Jae Myung administration's reconciliatory proposals "deceptive" and said his regime would exclude South Korea from "the category of the same people" forever.

While North Korea has issued openly hostile rhetoric toward South Korea, it has simultaneously left room for engagement with the U.S., a pattern that experts say reflects its preference for direct dealings with Washington.

Seoul responded cautiously. The Unification Ministry said it regretted North Korea’s continued adherence to what it described as a hostile two-state approach, but would continue pursuing policies aimed at peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula. The presidential office likewise reiterated that the two Koreas should refrain from hostile rhetoric and work to build mutual trust.