North Korea’s Kim says he is open to talks if US drops denuclearisation demand
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he is open to talks with the United States if Washington drops its demands for North Korea’s denuclearization. Kim emphasized that his country will never give up its nuclear weapons but indicated willingness to negotiate if the U.S. abandons its “ridiculous fixation” on denuclearization and seeks genuine peaceful coexistence. He also reflected positively on past interactions with former U.S. President Donald Trump, expressing “fond memories” of their meetings. Kim criticized joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises as preparations for nuclear war and dismissed South Korea’s proposals for ending North Korea’s nuclear program as insincere. North Korea sees its nuclear arsenal as essential for survival amid threats from the U.S. and its allies. Kim’s remarks follow recent expressions of willingness to meet from Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at a White House gathering last month.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated he is open to talks with the United States if Washington drops its demands for North Korea’s denuclearization. Speaking to Pyongyang’s Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim said that if the U.S. abandons its “delusional obsession” with denuclearizing North Korea and desires true peaceful coexistence based on reality, there would be no reason not to negotiate. However, he reaffirmed that North Korea will never give up its nuclear weapons, which he described as indispensable for the country’s survival against threats from the U.S. and South Korea. Kim also expressed “fond memories” of former U.S. President Donald Trump, with whom he met three times between 2018 and 2019, indicating a willingness to meet again if conditions allow.
Kim criticized South Korea’s proposals and rejected the idea of reunification, calling it unrealistic while emphasizing North Korea’s distinct national identity. His statements followed recent encouragement by South Korea’s new government and Trump to revive dialogue, six years after diplomatic talks collapsed over disagreements on sanctions and nuclear disarmament. The North Korean leader also mentioned that the world is aware of what happens when countries give up nuclear weapons, underscoring his firm stance against denuclearization as a precondition for talks.
