[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton said that the Trump administration's foreign policy was "inevitably a failure in North Korea policy," CNN reported on the 17th (local time).
Bolton stated during a special lecture held at Duke University that afternoon, "There is not a single piece of evidence that North Korea has made a strategic decision to give up its nuclear weapons."
He also mentioned the denuclearization approach toward North Korea, adding, "A serious mistake was made, and the U.S. chasing after Kim Jong-un was a predictable failure."
He further explained during the lecture, "The content related to North Korea is included in my book, and since the government is censoring the book's content, I cannot answer questions about North Korea."
Previously, Bolton had attempted to publish a book compiling records from his time at the White House, but publication has been delayed as the Trump administration opposed it during pre-publication review, citing national security leaks.
Regarding this, Bolton said, "I put my best effort into capturing history in the book," adding, "We will have to see the results of the censorship, but I hope the publication ban does not happen."
He also said, "The book contains things President Trump said to me," and expressed hope that "the book will be published someday," avoiding direct comments.
He then questioned, "President Trump speaks through Twitter, but I cannot speak (about the Ukraine scandal). Does this seem fair?" He added, "But for now, I plan to leave it alone."
Meanwhile, regarding Iran, he emphasized, "We did not raise pressure to the maximum level," and stated, "While the Trump administration's sanctions on Iran have achieved considerable effect, regime change should be pursued as a clear objective."
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