Kim Jong-un's sister temporarily freezes dialogue with the US

Kim Yo-jong claims Washington has wrong expectations. Last week, the North Korean leader used more conciliatory words. Experts: it is not total closure; they are bargaining. US and South Korea cancel labour forums disputed by Pyongyang.


Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Kim Yo-jong has dampened hopes for dialogue with the United States. In a statement released this morning by the KCNA state news agency, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Washington has wrong expectations of any talks between the two sides.

Kim Yo-jong's words are a response to the claims made by Jake Sullivan, US President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor. On June 20, Sullivan spoke of an "interesting signal" from Kim jong-un. Last week, during a meeting of the Workers' Party (in power in North Korea since the end of the Second World War), the strongman from Pyongyang declared that his country must be ready both for dialogue and confrontation with the United States.

North Korea is isolated from the international community (except from China and partly from Russia), and has been subjected to international sanctions for years because of its nuclear and missile program. Since the end of 2017, in the framework of negotiations with former US President Donald Trump, Pyongyang has unilaterally decreed a moratorium on nuclear tests and long-range ballistic tests.

The dialogue between Washington and the Kim regime is in a phase of stagnation with setting an end to military exercises between the Washington and Seoul forces as a precondition for their return to talks.

The US and South Korea have launched a first signal of openness to the North. The two allies today declared their intention to cancel their labour forum on Pyongyang policies; the Kim Jong-un regime considers the body an obstacle to inter-Korean dialogue.