Pompeo, "Cannot Talk About Geum... GP Shooting Was Accidental"

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated North Korea's commitment to denuclearization, stating that the mission to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons remains the same despite the dispelling of rumors about North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un's health issues. He assessed the shooting incident at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) guard post (GP) as accidental.

On the 3rd (local time), Secretary Pompeo appeared on ABC's "This Week" and, when asked by the host what Kim had been doing over the past three weeks, including not attending the birthday memorial of President Kim Il-sung on the 15th of last month, he replied, "There is not much we can share with you about what we know."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

When asked if he thought Kim was seriously ill, he avoided answering, saying, "I cannot say anything." Regarding whether Kim had contracted COVID-19 or suffered from cardiovascular disease, he drew a line, saying, "I cannot say anything more today."

However, Secretary Pompeo emphasized, "Despite everything, our mission to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, verify that, and then create a brighter future for the North Korean people remains unchanged. This is what President Donald Trump has focused on since taking office and what we will continue to work on."

Secretary Pompeo also stated regarding the shooting exchange between the South and North at the DMZ guard post on the morning of the 3rd Korean time, "I think it was accidental."

He added, "What we can say so far is that there were no casualties on either side."

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