Ex-top North Korean nuclear negotiator warns U.S. not to ignore year-end deadline by 'exploiting' Ki

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Japan Times


BY JESSE JOHNSON
STAFF WRITER

OCT 27, 2019

The former top North Korean nuclear negotiator Sunday delivered a scathing indictment of the United States’ position in nuclear talks, blasting Washington’s “delaying tactics” and warning of a failure to heed leader Kim Jong Un’s deadline for a “bold decision” by the year’s end.

Senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol, a known regime hard-liner, said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency that “no substantial progress has been made” in improving ties and that continued “belligerent relations” could lead to an “exchange of fire” at “any moment.”

Kim Yong Chol said the U.S. would be “seriously mistaken” if it ignores the end-of-the-year deadline by using “delaying tactics” and “exploiting the close personal relations” between President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader.

“The U.S. is now more desperately resorting to the hostile policy towards the DPRK, misjudging the patience and tolerance of the DPRK,” he said, using the acronym for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Read more: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/10/27/asia-pacific/north-korean-nuclear-negotiations-deadline-kim-jong-un-donald-trump/#.XbUbsuhKjIU

[Flaleftist]

1. So Trump and Kim won't be exchanging love letters this year?

[Lonestarblue]

2. Another Trump foreign policy failure.

Trump gave legitimacy and world stature to Kim—something all other western leaders refused to do—and boosted Kim’s sense of importance. Nothing has been accomplished and Kim has continued his nuclear weapons program. So now it’s Kim threatening the US at a time when Trump’s leadership is seen as very weak after the Syria/Turkey fiasco. Since Erdogan was easily able to roll Trump, perhaps Kim is ready to try the same. All he needs to do is promise a Trump resort on the beach.

[riversedge]

3. Kim needs to send Trump a love letter and all will be well.