Pompeo: "Trump Wants North Korea-US Summit Only If There Is Potential for Progress"

Change in Position Regarding Hope for North America Summit
Visa Restrictions Announced for Huawei-Related Personnel

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated on the 15th (local time) that President Donald Trump wants to engage in a North Korea-U.S. summit only when sufficient progress with North Korea is guaranteed. This is interpreted as the U.S. side showing a negative view on the possibility of a surprise North Korea-U.S. summit before the U.S. presidential election.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Secretary Pompeo gave this response when asked about the possibility of holding a third North Korea-U.S. summit within the year at a talk event hosted by the political media outlet The Hill.

He said, "North Korea has sent mixed signals. But the truth is that President Trump wants to engage in a summit only if he believes there is a sufficient possibility of making genuine progress in achieving the results that began in Singapore over two years ago."

Pompeo added, "However, a willing partner is needed," and "North Korea has chosen not to engage in a way that could lead to a potential resolution at this point."

This appears to refer to Kim Yo-jong, the first deputy director of the Workers' Party and sister of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, who expressed a negative stance on holding a North Korea-U.S. summit within the year in a statement on the 10th. The Hill reported that Pompeo downplayed the possibility of a North Korea-U.S. summit within the year.

With Pompeo presenting "sufficient progress" as a prerequisite for the summit's success, there is an observation that the possibility of an "October Surprise" before the election is currently low if no breakthrough is made between North Korea and the U.S.

At the same time, Pompeo demanded a change in North Korea's attitude and called for verified denuclearization principles. He said, "We hope they (North Korea) change their minds," and "We look forward to their engagement in dialogue to achieve the right outcome," emphasizing, "We need to do it (denuclearization). We need to do it in a fully verified manner," reiterating the principle of "verifiable denuclearization."

Pompeo's remarks on this day contrast with his recent alignment with President Donald Trump, who had mentioned the possibility of a North Korea-U.S. summit.

Earlier, President Donald Trump, in an interview on the 7th during the visit of Stephen Biegun, Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea, to South Korea, opened the possibility of a third North Korea-U.S. summit by saying, "If it helps, we will have a meeting."

Pompeo also, during a phone conference with the media on the 9th, when asked about the possibility of a third North Korea-U.S. summit before the U.S. presidential election, said, "We very much hope to continue dialogue," and mentioned, "Whether at a level lower than a summit, if there is an appropriate and useful activity to bring high-level leaders back together..." which was interpreted as leaving the possibility of a summit open.

Meanwhile, Pompeo announced visa restriction sanctions on Chinese technology company personnel, including those from Huawei, citing their involvement in human rights abuses.

The State Department also stated in a separate release, "Today, the State Department is imposing visa restrictions on certain employees of Chinese technology companies that have materially supported regimes involved in human rights abuses worldwide." However, Pompeo did not specify the exact targets or number of individuals sanctioned.

When asked whether the Chinese company-owned app TikTok would be banned, Pompeo replied, "We are conducting a broad review to prevent Americans' information from falling into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party."

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