What conditions does North Korea set for dialogue with the United States?

North Korea says what it regards as hostile U.S. policies should be corrected or revised before talks. Chung identified sanctions pressure, military drills and human rights issues among those policies.

Why is South Korea seeking to resume diplomacy with North Korea?

The Seoul government is seeking to ease cross-border tension and improve inter-Korean relations. Chung said Pyongyang is asking Seoul for respect and consideration as a condition for a turnaround in relations.

What did Kim Yo-jong say about the FBI’s Binance theft allegation?

Kim Yo-jong reiterated North Korea’s rejection of the FBI announcement that Pyongyang was responsible for stealing more than $6 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

N. Korea signals openness to dialogue if talks serve its interests: unification minister

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Summary

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Thursday that North Korea remains open to dialogue with the United States if talks serve its interests. He spoke during a parliamentary interpellation session as Seoul seeks to resume diplomacy with Pyongyang to ease cross-border tension and improve inter-Korean relations. Chung said North Korea wants what it considers hostile policies, including sanctions pressure, military drills and human rights issues, corrected or revised before talks. Kim Yo-jong said dialogue is among the options for peace but is not necessarily in North Korea’s national interests.

Key Facts

Kim Yo-jong’s statement was carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
Chung said Pyongyang is calling for respect and consideration from Seoul if it wants a turnaround in inter-Korean relations.
Kim reiterated North Korea’s rejection of the FBI announcement that Pyongyang was responsible for a cryptocurrency theft worth more than $6 billion from Binance.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 5, 2026 3:36 pm KST

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks during a parliamentary interpellation session held at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

North Korea is signaling that it is open to dialogue with the United States if such talks serve its interests, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Thursday, a day after the sister of the North's leader Kim Jong-un said dialogue with Washington remains among potential options for peace.

Chung offered the assessment during a parliamentary interpellation session as Seoul seeks to resume diplomacy with Pyongyang to ease cross-border tension and improve inter-Korean relations.

"(North Korea) is sending a signal that possibilities of dialogue remain open if talks serve its interests," the minister said. "Yesterday, (the North) said directly that it understands dialogue is necessary for peace."

He pointed out the North has made clear a precondition for dialogue, under which what it regards as hostile policies toward it, including sanctions pressure, military drills and human rights issues, should be corrected or revised.

Noting that Pyongyang is calling for "respect and consideration" if Seoul wants to see a turnaround in inter-Korean relations, Chung said, "I want to say exactly the same thing to the North."

In a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of the North's leader, said that dialogue with the U.S. is included among the potential options for peace, but it is "not surely equated with national interests."

Kim also reiterated the North's rejection of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) announcement that Pyongyang was responsible for a crypto theft worth more than $6 billion from Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange.

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