North Korea: US Ambassador suggests resuming talks

Talks between the US and North Korea have been put on hold for some time. Recently, the US Ambassador to the isolated nation has suggested that talks resume as he says he is ready to meet with his North Korean counterpart.

US President Joe Biden’s ambassador to North Korea, Sung Kim, said that he is ready to have discussions with his North Korean counterpart anytime. Kim issued a statement with his remarks and the statement follows his engagement with South Korean officials over the prolonged postponement of talks with the North. This also comes as tensions have risen with the North criticizing the annual joint military drills between the US and South Korea.

Kim maintained that the US under the Biden administration has no hostile intent towards North Korea and that the military drills are normal and defensive in nature. The comments come from his meeting with South Korean diplomat Noh Kyu-Duk. Both diplomats told the press that they discussed ways to make diplomacy easier including humanitarian cooperation with North Korea.

“The US has no aggressive intentions against (North Korea),” said Kim, noting the joint military exercises.

“I continue to stand ready to meet with my North Korean colleague at any time and place,” said the diplomat. Talks have been on pause since 2019 when the US under Donald Trump’s administration, was not able to reach a deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. The US rejected the demands of North Korea to ease economic sanctions against the isolated nation in exchange for a partial reduction of its developing nuclear program.

Previously, a North Korean diplomat stressed the importance of the country’s alliance with China in order to take on the US. North Korean ambassador to China Ri Ryong-Nam accused the US and South Korea of ramping up their military drills. Speaking with Chinese-state affiliated news outlet Global Times, Ri said that the US poses to be a common threat to North Korea and China and both countries should strengthen their relations in order to deal with Washington.

“It’s not difficult to see that the US will strengthen its military activities against the Asia-Pacific countries including China,” said Ri. “The US is the common threat to North Korea and China and the two countries should deal with it by strengthening their cooperation.”