North Korea-U.S. talks possible, but not on denuclearization, says Kim Yo-jong

Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, warned on July 29 that any future North Korea-U.S. summit would remain a mere “hope” for Washington if the United States fails to accept the current geopolitical reality. Her remarks, carried by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), directly responded to recent statements from U.S. officials expressing openness to dialogue for denuclearization.

Reacting to the U.S. call to resume talks in the spirit of the 2018–2019 summits, Kim stressed that “this is no longer 2018 or 2019.” She acknowledged that the personal relationship between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and the current U.S. president was “not bad,” but warned that conflating that with denuclearization goals would be viewed as a “mockery” of North Korea.

Kim made it clear that North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state is irreversible and enshrined in its highest law with the full backing of the North Korean people. “Any attempt to deny our status as a nuclear state, established with strong deterrence and rooted in national consensus, will be firmly rejected,” she said.

She also emphasized that both the geopolitical landscape and North Korea’s nuclear capabilities have changed significantly since the past summits. “Recognition of this fundamental change must be the premise for any future engagement,” she added.

Kim hinted that while denuclearization talks are off the table, other forms of dialogue could be possible. “There must be a minimum level of rational judgment to understand that two nuclear-armed countries pursuing confrontation benefits no one,” she said. “On that basis, it may be better to explore different avenues for contact.”

Her statement indicates that North Korea may still be open to non-nuclear-related dialogue, but only if the U.S. adjusts its approach to reflect the regime’s declared nuclear status.

BY KIM EUNBIN   [kim.eunbin@joongang.co.kr]