North Korea to U.S.: "Don't Expect Dialogue"... To South Korea: "Don't Get Ahead of Yourself" (Summary)

Kim Kye-gwan, Senior Advisor of North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Statement
"Expecting North Korea-US Dialogue Is a Foolish Thought... We Will Follow Our Own Path"
"Received Trump's Letter Personally... South Korea, Do Not Get Ahead of Yourself"

President Moon Jae-in and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un are holding hands and talking at Panmunjom on the afternoon of June 30 last year. In the center is U.S. President Donald Trump.

Kim Kye-gwan, an advisor at the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement on the 11th, calling the expectation that they would engage in dialogue with the United States a "foolish thought." He emphasized that while North Korea-U.S. talks could be possible if the U.S. fully accepted their demands, since the U.S. is unlikely to do so, they will "follow our own path." Furthermore, he strongly criticized South Korea, telling them not to harbor illusions about playing the role of "mediator" between North Korea and the U.S., warning them not to get ahead of themselves.

In his statement, Advisor Kim said, "As the whole world acknowledges, it is true that the personal relationship between our Chairman Kim Jong-un and President Trump is not bad," but added, "However, to base any expectation that we might return to dialogue with the U.S. on such a personal relationship, or to try to create such an atmosphere by scheming, is a foolish thought."

Kim Kye-gwan, Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Korea

He acknowledged that there is a personal relationship between the North Korea-U.S. leaders but said that such private ties would not influence state affairs.

Advisor Kim stated, "Even if Chairman Kim Jong-un personally holds good feelings toward President Trump, those feelings must remain purely 'personal.' As the Chairman represents our state and advocates for the nation's interests, he would not discuss state affairs based on such private emotions."

He made clear, "What is certain is that we will never again be deceived by the U.S. and waste time as in the past," referring to the Hanoi North Korea-U.S. summit held last February.

He added, "Negotiations like those in Vietnam, where we proposed to exchange some UN sanctions and the country's core nuclear facilities in an attempt to alleviate the suffering of peaceful people, will never happen again," emphasizing, "We have no need to attend talks where we are subjected to unilateral coercion, nor do we have any desire to barter like merchants at the negotiating table."

Advisor Kim said, "If dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. is to be reestablished, it can only happen under the condition that the U.S. fully accepts the demands we have presented. But we know well that the U.S. is neither prepared nor able to do so."

He then stressed, "We know the path we must take, and we will follow our path."

The "path" he referred to is interpreted as the "self-reliance and frontal breakthrough" policy announced by Chairman Kim at the Workers' Party plenary meeting at the end of last year. On the 10th, the Rodong Sinmun stated, "If we sit and wait for sanctions to be lifted under such harsh conditions, the economic sanctions imposed by hostile forces could become a tightening rein of pressure controlling us," and stressed, "Only through self-sufficiency can the dignity and sovereignty of the nation be firmly upheld."

This reflects a determination to no longer cling to sanctions relief through negotiations with the U.S. and instead achieve economic development through self-reliance. Since the plenary meeting, North Korean media have increasingly emphasized the self-reliance and frontal breakthrough line day by day.

Jung Eui-yong, the Director of the National Security Office at the Blue House, who visited the White House for high-level security consultations among South Korea, the United States, and Japan, is answering reporters' questions after returning through Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 10th.

◆North Korea: "Directly Received Trump's Letter... South Korea, Stop Getting Ahead of Yourselves"

In his statement, Advisor Kim also revealed that he personally received a letter from President Trump containing birthday greetings for Chairman Kim. He then fiercely criticized South Korea, telling them not to interfere between North Korea and the U.S.

Advisor Kim said, "We have directly received the U.S. President's letter, which South Korean authorities hastily and excitedly reported as an urgent notification of the U.S. President's birthday greetings." This was aimed at the message from Chung Eui-yong, director of South Korea's National Security Office, at a press conference the previous day.

On the afternoon of the 10th, Director Chung, after returning from a visit to the U.S., told reporters at Incheon International Airport that he had met with President Trump and said, "President Trump spoke kindly about Chairman Kim's birthday and requested that President Moon please convey his message to Chairman Kim."

Advisor Kim dismissed this as "hype" and "getting ahead of themselves," warning South Korea not to cling to the role of mediator between North Korea and the U.S. any longer.

He said, "It seems the South Korean authorities still do not know that there is a special communication channel between the leaders of North Korea and the U.S.," and claimed, "From the beginning of the new year, South Korean authorities have been making a fuss, claiming to urgently deliver the U.S. President's birthday greetings to our Chairman."

He continued, "South Korea, which is not even part of the same family, made a big deal about delivering the U.S. President's congratulations to our Chairman, and it seems they still harbor illusions about playing the 'mediator' role in North Korea-U.S. relations."

Advisor Kim stated, "It is natural for leaders to build personal relationships in diplomacy between countries, but South Korea's presumptuous interference in the personal relationship between Chairman Kim Jong-un and President Trump is somewhat overstepping."

President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim Jong-un signed the Pyongyang Joint Declaration after concluding their summit at the Baekhwawon Guesthouse on September 19 last year, and are showing the declaration.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.