Will Talks Between North Korea and the US Remain Just a 'Hope'?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- North Korea demands recognition as a nuclear state.
- US-North Korea talks could remain mere 'hopes' if past failures are repeated.
- The personal connection between leaders may not suffice for progress.
- South Korea's role is crucial in the diplomatic landscape.
- Continued push for denuclearization could hinder relations.
Seoul, July 29 (NationPress) A potential meeting between North Korea and the United States will only remain a 'hope' for Washington if it adheres to its 'failed past', stated the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday.
Kim Yo-jong, the vice department director of the ruling party's Central Committee, made these comments as US President Donald Trump has shown interest in meeting with the North's leader.
'If the US fails to accept the changed reality and persists in the failed past, the DPRK-US meeting will remain as a 'hope' of the US side,' Kim declared in a statement released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Kim emphasized that acknowledging Pyongyang as a nuclear state must be a 'prerequisite' moving forward, asserting that any attempts to refute such status 'will be thoroughly rejected.'
The leader's sister hinted at the possibility of improved relations between North Korea and Washington, noting that personal connections between their two leaders are 'not bad,' according to the Yonhap news agency.
However, she warned that such a relationship would not prosper if the push for the North's denuclearization continues.
'If the personal relations between the top leaders of the DPRK and the US are to serve the purpose of denuclearization, it can be interpreted as nothing but a mockery of the other party,' Kim remarked.
Earlier on Monday, Kim made the comments in a statement released by the KCNA, amidst efforts by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to revive dialogue with Pyongyang to alleviate military tensions and enhance inter-Korean relations.
This marks North Korea's first official statement regarding the Lee administration, which took office last month.
'Looking at around the past 50 days since Lee Jae Myung took office... (he) is no different from his predecessor in blindly adhering to the South Korea-US alliance and pursuing confrontation with us,' Kim commented.
No matter the efforts made by the Lee government to capture North Korea's attention, the North's stance towards the South will remain unchanged, she stated.