Kim Yo-jong "Grateful for Trump's Letter but Will Strengthen Ourselves" Confidence (Comprehensive)

'Kim Jong Un-Trump Friendship and North Korea-US Relations Are Unrelated,' Clearly Stated
'US Withdrawal of Hostile Policy Toward North Korea Comes First,' Reaffirms Existing Position
Confident in Self-Reliance and Direct Breakthrough, Refusing to Beg for Dialogue
Focus on Kim Yo Jong's Status and Role Changes... 'Official Spokesperson for Dear Brother'

Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the Workers' Party and younger sister of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un

Kim Yo-jong, the First Deputy Director of the Workers' Party, announced on the 22nd through a statement that U.S. President Donald Trump sent a letter to North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un. Kim Yo-jong expressed gratitude for the letter and praised the personal friendship between Chairman Kim and President Trump, but firmly stated that the personal friendship between the two leaders is unrelated to the progress of North Korea-U.S. relations. At the same time, she expressed confidence and composure in negotiations with the U.S. by saying "we will strengthen ourselves," while urging a change in the U.S.'s proactive stance.

Kim Yo-jong released the statement that day, and North Korea's state media, Korean Central News Agency, reported that "we received a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump addressed to Comrade Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission."

She said, "President Trump explained his ideas for promoting North Korea-U.S. relations in the letter" and also expressed willingness to cooperate with North Korea in COVID-19 prevention efforts.

She added, "President Trump mentioned that he has had difficulty communicating his thoughts recently due to infrequent communication with Chairman Kim, and conveyed his hope to maintain close contact with the Chairman going forward."

Kim Yo-jong stated, "This letter from President Trump is a clear example that shows the special and firm friendship with Chairman Kim Jong-un," and conveyed that Chairman Kim also affirmed the friendship and expressed gratitude for the warm letter from the President.

However, she cautioned that expectations for North Korea-U.S. relations should not be based solely on the personal friendship between the two leaders, saying, "If fairness and balance are not guaranteed and unilateral and greedy thoughts are not abandoned, the relationship between the two countries will continue to deteriorate rapidly."

She said, "Only when a dynamic and moral balance is maintained and fairness is guaranteed between the two countries can relations and dialogue be considered," adding, "We hope for a day when relations between the two countries improve as much as the relationship between the leaders, but whether that is possible must be left to time and observed."

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un supervised an artillery firing competition of the Western Front Large Combined Unit on the 20th and instructed the strengthening of artillery unit training in accordance with the situation, the Korean Central News Agency reported on the 21st. Kim's appearance was revealed by Central TV on the 21st.

Kim Yo-jong's recent statement coincides with North Korea's successive missile launches and is seen as an extension of the policy line of frontal breakthrough and self-reliance set since the end of last year.

Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, said, "Kim Yo-jong's statement and Chairman Kim's observation of tactical guided weapon test-firing clearly show Chairman Kim's intentions and policy stance toward the U.S.," adding, "It is a repetition of the policy stance toward the U.S. that Chairman Kim directly announced at the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party held at the end of last year."

Professor Lim said, "Despite efforts to improve North Korea-U.S. relations, such as President Trump sending letters first on Kim Jong-un's birthday on January 8 and recently again, North Korea will not respond to dialogue unless the U.S. changes its unilateral and greedy stance," adding, "North Korea's firm position is that it will not engage in talks unless the U.S. changes its hostile policies toward North Korea, including South Korea-U.S. military exercises, deployment of strategic weapons on the Korean Peninsula, and especially the insistence on sanctions."

The position of separating the personal friendship between the North Korea-U.S. leaders and the state-to-state relations was also reaffirmed.

Professor Lim said, "Kim Yo-jong expressed hope that relations with the U.S. would improve as much as the friendship with President Trump, but said that the change in the U.S.'s hostile policy toward North Korea must be left to time and observed," adding, "There is a nuance that they do not expect much progress in North Korea-U.S. relations, and the existing stance that the U.S.'s proactive decisions and actions must come first was reaffirmed."

Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, also evaluated, "Regardless of the personal friendship between the two leaders, there are conditions for resuming North Korea-U.S. dialogue, and those conditions lie in a change in the U.S.'s attitude." He explained, "(North Korea) showed a relaxed attitude, implying that it will not rush into dialogue," and "There is also confidence that the spread of COVID-19 has little impact, maintaining the stance from the beginning of the year that they are not worried and will rely on self-reliance rather than begging for dialogue."

Therefore, it is assessed that North Korea is unlikely to accept the COVID-19 prevention cooperation proposed by President Trump this time.

Professor Lim said, "Although President Trump expressed willingness to cooperate in COVID-19 prevention, it seems difficult for North Korea to publicly and officially accept it," but added, "However, it seems highly likely that North Korea will accept prevention supplies from U.S. private humanitarian organizations," explaining, "Because they need prevention supplies such as diagnostic kits immediately while maintaining their stance."

Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, observed a tactical guided weapon test firing on the 21st, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 22nd.

Meanwhile, Kim Yo-jong's status and role are becoming more distinct. This is the second time she has issued a statement in her own name.

Professor Lim said, "She is clearly demonstrating a change in status as the official spokesperson and messenger of her brother, Chairman Kim," and interpreted, "It seems highly likely that Kim Yo-jong has been assigned the role of externally expressing positions on U.S. and South Korea policies on behalf of Chairman Kim."

Professor Lim added, "It can be read as an attempt to maximize the effect of messages on the U.S. and South Korea through role-sharing as a de facto joint destiny with Chairman Kim," and predicted, "Going forward, Kim Yo-jong will strengthen her role in expressing somewhat delicate but firm and principled positions that Chairman Kim finds difficult to speak about directly."

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