Continuous Love Calls Between Korea and the US... Kim Jong-un's Response Uncertain

Han Yi-Young "Visit Panmunjom when COVID calms down"
US Pompeo "Hope for humanitarian aid to North Korea"
Kim Jong-un "Do not accept any external support"

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un visited South Hamgyong Province, which was damaged by Typhoon Maysak, the 9th typhoon, on the 5th, and held an expanded meeting of the Party Political Bureau on site, according to Korean Central TV on the 6th. After the meeting, Chairman Kim inspected the damage sites and instructed measures such as constructing structures to protect farmland from typhoons and developing related technologies.

As the 2nd anniversary of the September 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration approaches along with the U.S. presidential election, South Korea and the United States are continuously sending love calls to North Korea, but it remains uncertain whether North Korea will respond. Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, has ordered an all-out effort for flood recovery and personally visited flood-affected sites while emphasizing not to accept external aid.

According to the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers' Party of Korea, on the 16th, North Korea is focusing all its efforts on flood recovery by continuing projects such as restoring the damaged communication network and repairing power transmission and distribution systems. The state-run news agency Korean Central News Agency reported, "In Hwanghae Province, all efforts are concentrated on projects to minimize crop damage, restore waterways and embankments, and construct residential houses to mitigate flood damage." The COVID-19 situation continues to strangle North Korea's economy.

As North Korea concentrates its national capabilities on overcoming floods and infectious diseases, South Korea and the U.S. are strategizing to use this as a means to break the deadlock in dialogue and negotiations. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a broadcast interview that North Korea "faces economic challenges and COVID-19 risks," and "we hope to provide humanitarian aid to help them." David Stilwell, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, also emphasized the need to resume serious talks on the 14th (local time), mentioning North Korea's floods and typhoons.

Lee In-young, Minister of Unification, visited Panmunjom for the first time since his inauguration and repeatedly emphasized the implementation of inter-Korean agreements. He expressed his intention to resume Panmunjom tours and the DMZ Peace Trail once COVID-19 subsides and proposed small-scale reunions of separated families held at Panmunjom. On the 15th, during a parliamentary question session, Minister Lee also revealed plans to expand inter-Korean economic cooperation by establishing inter-Korean liaison offices and a South Korean trade representative office in Kaesong and North Korea's border areas with China.

The problem is that despite these active signals from South Korea and the U.S., North Korea has shown no response. At a Political Bureau meeting on August 13, Kim Jong-un publicly disclosed the disaster damage situation but stated, "We will not accept any external support." With the Party Foundation Day on October 10 approaching, there is a considerable possibility that North Korea will create tension with the outside world to strengthen internal unity. It is widely expected that North Korea will maintain border closures citing COVID-19 for the time being, continue its thorough 'self-reliance' policy, and only take significant steps after the U.S. presidential election.

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