[Anchor]

Just before U.S. President Trump stated that he would meet with North Korea within this year, North Korea released a statement under the name of Kim Yo-jong, department director of the Workers' Party. While downplaying communication between the two leaders, she left room for dialogue by noting that their personal relationship remains excellent, though she dismissed the scaling back of South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises.

Reporter Choi Jae-yeong has the details.

[Reporter]

Kim Yo-jong, department director of the Workers' Party, released a statement titled "Stance on Major International Issues" through the Korean Central News Agency last night (the 19th).

Regarding the reduction of South Korea-U.S. joint exercises implemented under the instruction of U.S. President Trump, Director Kim stated, "We see no worth in commenting on it and find it entirely uninteresting."

She added, "A reduction in the scale or duration of the drills does not change the provocative and aggressive nature of the military exercises," and noted, "We are paying closer attention to the reality that they are still ongoing."

In particular, she emphasized, "If the U.S. side calculates on promoting its recent measures as a 'goodwill gesture,' it will not get the answer it wants."

Regarding the communication between the leaders of North Korea and the U.S. mentioned by President Trump, Director Kim also dismissed it, saying, "I am unaware of it" and "It would be the only matter concerning the supreme leadership's foreign policy that I do not know about."

This is interpreted as making it clear that North Korea has no intention of immediately responding to a one-off scaling back of the joint exercises.

However, she did not completely shut the door on the possibility of dialogue between North Korea and the U.S.

Director Kim left room by stating, "Our head of state holds good personal memories and feelings toward Trump," and adding, "The relationship between the two leaders is excellent."

(Video by Jeon Min-gyu)