"Kim Jong Un's Response is Positive"... Will North Korea-U.S. Talks Resume?

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U.S. President Donald Trump, who ordered a reduction in South Korea-U.S. military exercises, stated that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has responded to his call for dialogue. Regarding South Korea, he expressed frustration once again, mentioning that he asked for help with a military operation in Iran, but was turned down.

This is Washington correspondent Lee Hanseok.

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When asked why there had been no reaction from State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un to his dialogue proposal, U.S. President Trump countered by asking how anyone could know that he did not respond.

When repeatedly asked whether Chairman Kim had responded, he stated that Chairman Kim did respond.

[Trump / U.S. President: Yes, (Chairman Kim Jong Un) responded. (What stage are the talks at?) It is very positive.]

Although the timing, method, and specific details of Chairman Kim's response were not disclosed, it is interpreted as an implication that North Korea has shown a tangible reaction to the definite incentive of scaled-down South Korea-U.S. exercises.

Dismissing criticism that reducing the exercises prioritizes North Korea over the alliance, President Trump asserted that he is making the situation much safer.

[I get along well with Kim Jong Un. He didn't like Biden, he didn't like Obama, he didn't like anyone, but he gets along very well with me. What I am doing is making the situation safer.]

President Trump also stepped up the pressure on the South Korean government.

He publicly revealed once again that during a recent phone call with the South Korean president, he requested support for military operations in Iran, but received a refusal stating it would be declined.

He then questioned why South Korea would not help when U.S. forces are stationed to protect the country, and brought up the issue of defense cost-sharing, which had been rolled back under the Biden administration.

Stating that if allies do not help the United States, it cannot travel around the world to protect them, he overtly intensified pressure for a massive increase in defense contributions.

(Photo: Yonhap News)

Reported by Oh Jung-shik | Video by Lee Seung-yeol
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.