According to the report by the Chosun on July 29th, Deputy Director of the Korean Workers’ Party Committee Jin Yuzheng made a speech titled “North Korea-US Contact Is Only the ‘Hope’ of the United States” on the 28th. Jin Yuzheng said that the US government recently expressed its openness to dialogue with North Korean leaders to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea. The US unilaterally evaluated the past North Korea-US dialogue, and the DPRK did not want to give any meaning to it.
She said, “The status and ability of our country as a nuclear power and the fundamental changes in the geopolitical environment are irreversible. Recognizing this indisputable fact should be the premise of predicting and considering all future matters.”
According to reports, Jin Yuzheng expressed that North Korea is open to any options to maintain its current national status.
She said, “I don’t want to deny the fact that the personal relationship between our country’s leader and the current US President is not bad”, “but if the personal relationship between North Korea and the United States is placed on the line with the goal of denuclearization, it will only be interpreted as a fooling each other”.
Jin Yuzheng said that if the United States does not accept the changed reality, persists in failed past, North Korea-US meetings will only remain as the “hope” of the United States.
According to another report by Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao website on July 29th, a White House official said when asked about Jin Yuzheng’s statement that President Trump was still committed to the goals set at the summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his first term.
The White House official said, “The president still adheres to these goals and is willing to engage with Kim Jong-un to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea.”