North Korea says US missed ‘golden opportunity’ at Hanoi talks
Pyongyang officials say frustrated leader Kim Jong Un may cut ties with Washington
North Korean officials have claimed that US President Donald Trump threw away a “golden opportunity” at the recent denuclearisation talks between the two countries in Vietnam.
Addressing a meeting of diplomats and media in the hermit kingdom’s capital of Pyongyang today, Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said leader Kim Jong Un and his delegation were “deeply disappointed” by the failure of the two sides to reach any agreements.
Choe described Trump’s negotiating stance as “eccentric” and said that Kim had expressed confusion over the purpose of the talks as they returned to North Korea by train following the summit, in Hanoi on 27 February, the Daily Mail reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“On our way back to the homeland, our chairman of the state affairs commission [Kim] said: ‘For what reason do we have to make this train trip again?’,” she said.
Last month’s meeting followed equally unproductive talks between the two leaders last June in Singapore.
The North Korean leadership is calling on the US to change its “political calculation” of the relationship between the two countries, which appeared to be softening after decades of hostility.
Choe warned that Pyongyang has no intention of continuing denuclearisation talks unless the US takes measures that are commensurate to the changes that North Korea has taken, such as the 15-month moratorium on launches and tests. However, she stopped short of confirming that nuclear missile tests would resume.
“I want to make it clear that the gangster-like stand of the US will eventually put the situation in danger. We have neither the intention to compromise with the US in any form nor much less the desire or plan to conduct this kind of negotiation,” she added.
The Daily Telegraph notes that Choe’s comments “run counter to optimism displayed by a US negotiator this week”. On Monday, US special representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun claimed that “diplomacy is still very much alive” between the two nations.
Meanwhile, officials from China - which has taken on the role of mediator between Washington and Pyongyang - said that the “complicated and long-standing” conflict “cannot be solved overnight”, and called for more negotations.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - December 21, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - losing it, pedal to the metal, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Three fun, festive activities to make the magic happen this Christmas Day
Inspire your children to help set the table, stage a pantomime and write thank-you letters this Christmas!
By The Week Junior Published
-
The best books of 2024 to give this Christmas
The Week Recommends From Percival Everett to Rachel Clarke these are the critics' favourite books from 2024
By The Week UK Published
-
'All too often, we get caught up in tunnel vision'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Does Trump have the power to end birthright citizenship?
Today's Big Question He couldn't do so easily, but it may be a battle he considers worth waging
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Elon Musk about to disrupt British politics?
Today's big question Mar-a-Lago talks between billionaire and Nigel Farage prompt calls for change on how political parties are funded
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will California's EV mandate survive Trump, SCOTUS challenge?
Today's Big Question The Golden State's climate goal faces big obstacles
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Underneath the noise, however, there's an existential crisis'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published