In his New Year’s Day speech broadcast on North Korean state television, Kim Jong-un announced that he is ready to have a second summit with President Trump at any time. He also warned that North Korea would have no choice but to seek “new initiatives” if the US doesn’t fulfill its promises.
This reflects growing frustration with the US-North Korea denuclearization process, in which US officials are expressing disquiet about how slow North Korea is progressing, and North Korea is growing disillusioned at the US increasing sanctions and rhetoric against them every time they make any progress.
US officials believe that increasing pressure is the only way to yield results, but North Korea sees this as the US not keeping up its end of the deal. Kim’s speech also addressed his belief that the Koreas should be taking the lead more on the future of the Korean Peninsula, including on matters of peace and reunification.
This position may well be welcomed by many in South Korea, as the Moon government has been trying to advise the US on how to keep making progress, but has seen some of its own reconciliation efforts harmed by US sanctions.
Kim Ready to Meet Trump at Any Time, Says US Must End North Korea Sanctions
Says Koreans need to take the lead in peace, reunification
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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