US Deputy Assistant Secretary: "North Korea Open to Diplomacy... Engaging in Productive Talks with 'Ally' South Korea"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Mark Napier, U.S. Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary for Korea and Japan in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, stated on the 23rd (local time) that the door to diplomacy with North Korea is open. He emphasized that, seemingly aware of former White House National Security Council (NSC) Advisor John Bolton's memoir, the U.S. had intense and productive dialogues with its ally South Korea during the North Korea-U.S. negotiations.

According to Voice of America (VOA) and others, Deputy Assistant Secretary Napier said at an online seminar hosted by the U.S. nonprofit foundation Asia Society, "The door to diplomacy is open, and we are truly united with South Korea in the view that we want to return to June 2018, when the first North Korea-U.S. summit was held." He added, "We are still ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea and remain committed to a diplomatic solution to the nuclear and missile issues. To achieve this, we must work hand in hand with South Korea."

Deputy Assistant Secretary Napier stated that the U.S. Department of State and the NSC always maintain a productive relationship and cooperate, moving toward the same goal of managing the alliance in a way that benefits both the American and South Korean peoples. He also said that addressing North Korea's nuclear missile threat and the situation on the Korean Peninsula is a shared objective. Regarding negotiations with North Korea, he said, "We have had intensive, very productive, and deep conversations with the South Koreans," and expressed pride in this.

While "U.S.-South Korea cooperation" is a frequent remark from Deputy Assistant Secretary Napier, it is interpreted that he attempted to mitigate the impact of the revelations in former Advisor Bolton's memoir by emphasizing that the U.S. and South Korea are responding in a unified manner in North Korea diplomacy. He added that this process was possible because of the trust shared between the U.S. and South Korea, and that it is possible because the two countries are allies and friends.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Napier also referred to the North Korea-U.S. situation in October 2000, saying, "Looking at history, North Korea seems to show an intention to interfere in U.S. presidential elections."

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