Amid signs of renewed diplomatic activity, both the United States and North Korea have signaled their willingness to engage in dialogue—yet remain sharply at odds over the issue of denuclearization. Former US President Donald Trump said he is prepared to hold talks with Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, without any preconditions, drawing attention to the prospect of resumed contact between the two nations.

On September 30, a White House official responded to a media inquiry about whether the Trump administration would be open to talks with North Korea even without reference to the nuclear issue. “President Trump remains open to dialogue with Kim Jong Un without any preconditions,” the official stated, implying that summit-level meetings could be possible even without denuclearization as a prerequisite.

The official also highlighted, “During his first term, President Trump held three historic summits with Kim Jong Un that contributed to stabilizing the Korean Peninsula,” while stressing that “US policy toward North Korea remains unchanged.” This reaffirmed Washington’s continued adherence to the long-held principle of “complete denuclearization” in its dealings with Pyongyang.

For his part, Kim Jong Un has also recently indicated an openness to dialogue with the United States. In a speech before the Supreme People’s Assembly on September 21, Kim stated, “Personally, I have good memories of the current US President Trump.” He added, “If the United States lets go of its unfounded obsession with denuclearization and accepts the reality, and seeks genuine peaceful coexistence with us, we also have no reason not to engage in dialogue with America.” While affirming an intent for dialogue, his remarks made clear that this would be contingent upon the US abandoning its demand for denuclearization—a position directly at odds with Washington.

North Korea’s firm stance was reiterated during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 29. Kim Son Gyong, North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister, addressed the UN—marking the first dispatch of a senior official in seven years—declaring, “We will never give up our nuclear weapons and will not retract this position under any circumstances.” He argued that, “Demanding denuclearization from us is equivalent to demanding we give up our sovereignty, our right to survive, and violate our constitution,” repeatedly emphasizing the regime’s refusal to relinquish its nuclear arsenal. At the same time, North Korea has focused on strengthening diplomatic ties with China, Russia, and other anti-Western blocs, aiming to project the image of a “normal state” on the world stage.

Ultimately, both sides continue to demonstrate strategic flexibility—proposing either “unconditional dialogue” or “non-negotiable nuclear status”—while leaving the door to future talks at least slightly ajar.

In the meantime, President Trump is scheduled to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit to be held in Gyeongju, South Korea, at the end of October. Speculation persists that this event could provide an opportunity for contact with Chairman Kim, yet fundamental differences over denuclearization mean that any substantive summit remains highly uncertain.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=Yonhap News Agency