Seoul: North Korea has said it is open to talks with the United States if Washington abandons its demand for denuclearisation, though Kim Jong Un has reiterated that nuclear weapons will never be given up in exchange for sanctions relief.
Kim addressed the Supreme People’s Assembly, where Kim stated that there was no reason to avoid dialogue with the US if Washington sought peaceful coexistence and accepted reality. North Korea’s leader stressed that nuclear arms remain essential for survival and defence against what he called grave threats from the US and South Korea.
Kim has recalled past meetings with former US President Donald Trump, saying that Kim still has favourable memories of their encounters. The two leaders met three times during Trump’s first presidency, but talks collapsed six years ago over sanctions and denuclearisation requirements.
While extending an invitation for US talks, Kim ruled out any phased disarmament approach. Kim rejected recent proposals from Washington and Seoul as disingenuous, maintaining that their underlying intent remained regime change.
Kim’s statements have contrasted with his uncompromising stance on South Korea, which he described as a main enemy, refusing any possibility of dialogue with Seoul. The South Korean government has confirmed that Pyongyang continues to reject communication channels, even as Seoul has promoted a phased approach to denuclearisation as the most realistic option.
Observers said that Kim’s remarks highlight an attempt to reframe negotiations directly with Washington, without South Korean involvement. A North Korea expert at the US-based Stimson Center said that Kim’s words amounted to an invitation for Trump to re-engage, provided that the denuclearisation demand is dropped.
South Korea’s President Lee has said that while no concrete discussions appear to be underway between Washington and Pyongyang, creating conditions for dialogue remains the main task.
Kim’s position underlines North Korea’s longstanding assertion that nuclear weapons are essential for deterrence and regime survival. He said that the world has already seen the consequences faced by states that surrendered their nuclear capabilities, and North Korea would not follow that path.
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