What did the State Department say about talks with North Korea after Trump ordered fewer joint exercises with South Korea?

The department said the United States remains open to dialogue with North Korea without preconditions. It made the comment after Trump said he had ordered the Pentagon to reduce South Korea-U.S. military exercises.

Is the U.S. planning to appoint a new special representative for North Korea?

The State Department said it had no personnel announcements to make at this time. The article says the senior North Korea policy post has been vacant since July 2024 after Jung Pak left the job.

Who previously handled North Korea diplomacy in the U.S. government?

During Trump’s first term, Stephen Biegun served as special representative for North Korea from August 2018 through January 2021. Sung Kim served from May 2021 to November 2023, and Jung Pak served as U.S. senior official for North Korea from November 2023 to July 2024.

State Dept. reiterates US remains open to dialogue with N. Korea 'without preconditions'

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Summary

The State Department said Monday that the United States remains open to dialogue with North Korea without preconditions. The remarks came a day after President Donald Trump said he had ordered the Pentagon to reduce South Korea-U.S. military exercises. The department said it had no personnel announcements on a possible new North Korea envoy, and the senior North Korea policy post has been vacant since July 2024.

Key Facts

The spokesperson said President Donald Trump has made clear that the United States remains open to dialogue with North Korea without preconditions.
The State Department said it had no personnel announcements to make about a new special representative for North Korea.
The senior post dedicated to North Korea policy has been vacant since Jung Pak left in July 2024.
Stephen Biegun served as special representative for North Korea from August 2018 through January 2021, and Sung Kim held the post from May 2021 to November 2023.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 18, 2026 7:32 am KST

The State Department seal is seen on the briefing room lectern at the State Department in Washington, Jan. 31, 2022. AP-Yonhap

WASHINGTON — The Department of State reiterated Monday that the United States remains open to talks with North Korea "without preconditions," a day after President Donald Trump said he has ordered the Pentagon to reduce South Korea-U.S. military exercises in what appears to be a conciliatory gesture toward Pyongyang.

"President Trump has made clear, the United States remains open to dialogue with North Korea without preconditions," a spokesperson at the department said.

The spokesperson was responding to Yonhap News Agency's questions about whether there are any State Department-level efforts to resume diplomacy with Pyongyang, and whether the department is considering appointing a new special representative for North Korea.

On the question about the special envoy post, the official said, "We have no personnel announcements to make at this time."

During Trump's first term, Stephen Biegun served as special representative for North Korea from August 2018 through January 2021. Then, Sung Kim, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea, served in the post from May 2021 to November 2023 during the previous Biden administration.

From November 2023 to July 2024, Jung Pak served as U.S. senior official for North Korea -- a top post overseeing North Korea policy that did not require Senate confirmation. Since Pak's departure, the senior post dedicated to North Korea policy has been vacant.

Trump's directive on joint exercises came amid speculation that he might seek to rekindle his personal diplomacy with Kim.

Trump had three in-person meetings with Kim during his first term: the first meeting in Singapore in June 2018, the second in Hanoi in February 2019 and the third at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019.

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