Is Trump Still Open to Dialogue with Kim for a Fully Denuclearised North Korea?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Trump is willing to engage in talks with Kim Jong-un.
- New actions by the Trump administration aim to disrupt North Korea's funding.
- Three historic summits have taken place between the leaders.
- The focus remains on achieving a fully denuclearised North Korea.
- Sanctions and diplomacy must work together for success.
Washington, July 26 (NationPress) US President Donald Trump is still willing to engage in discussions with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un to pursue a goal of a fully denuclearised North Korea, according to a White House representative. This statement comes shortly after the administration detailed multiple actions aimed at curtailing Pyongyang's illicit revenue streams.
The Trump administration revealed a series of measures against North Korea on Thursday, which includes offering rewards for information concerning seven North Korean individuals linked to a scheme that is believed to support the regime's nuclear and missile initiatives.
"During his first term, President Trump engaged in three significant summits with North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un, leading to a stabilisation of the Korean Peninsula and establishing the first-ever leader-level agreement on denuclearisation," the official conveyed to Yonhap News Agency via email.
"The president maintains these goals and is open to dialogue with Leader Kim to realise a fully denuclearised North Korea," the official reiterated.
This comment was made in response to inquiries regarding whether Thursday's actions suggested the Trump administration views diplomacy with Pyongyang as currently challenging, leading to a focus on sanctions and pressure tactics to encourage North Korea back to the negotiation table, as reported by Yonhap.
There is ongoing speculation that Trump may intend to revive his personal diplomacy with Kim, which facilitated three face-to-face meetings: the first in Singapore in 2018, the second in Hanoi in February 2019, and the third in June 2019 at the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom.
Last month, Trump asserted that he would resolve "the conflict" with North Korea if one exists, a statement that increased expectations for a potential revival of dialogue with Kim.
On Thursday, the Trump administration implemented a set of actions against North Korea, including sanctions on a North Korean trading company, cautioning that it "will not remain passive" as Pyongyang profits from what it termed criminal activities to fund its "destabilising" weapon development initiatives.
These actions included a scheme to send North Korean IT workers abroad, cryptocurrency theft, trafficking in counterfeit goods, and oil smuggling.