North Korea: "No Occasion to Sit Face-to-Face with Americans... South Korea's Mediation Is Like Talking in One's Sleep" (Comprehensive)

Statement by Kwon Jung-geun, Director of the U.S. Affairs Department at North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Clear Rejection of North Korea-U.S. Talks on the Day of Stephen Biegun's Visit to South Korea
Criticism of President Moon's Mediation Efforts as "Nosiness"

Steve Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, is waiting for Cho Se-young, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on December 16 last year. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

On the 7th, as Steven Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, began his three-day visit to South Korea, North Korea once again dismissed the possibility of a North Korea-U.S. summit and criticized South Korea's mediation efforts as nonsense.

On the same day, Kwon Jong Eun, Director of the U.S. Affairs at North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated in a commentary, "To make it clear once again, we have no intention of sitting face-to-face with Americans," according to the North Korean state media, Korean Central News Agency.

Director Kwon pointed out that Choe Son Hui, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, had already dismissed the possibility of a North Korea-U.S. summit on the 4th, saying, "Regarding the rumors of a North Korea-U.S. summit, our First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs recently made a clear statement through a commentary."

Choe, who is Biegun's North Korean counterpart, had dismissed the resumption of negotiations in her statement on the 4th, saying, "There is no need to sit face-to-face with the United States."

Director Kwon also thoroughly disparaged South Korea's mediation efforts for North Korea-U.S. dialogue.

He said, "The commentary by (First Vice Minister Choe Son Hui) also mentioned those meddlesome people who, oblivious to the timing, once again expressed their intention to mediate a North Korea-U.S. summit," indirectly referring to and criticizing President Moon Jae-in.

He continued, "Whether it is because they are slow to understand or because they are only used to hearing good words, even now, in the southern neighborhood, confusing noises continue to echo that their efforts to mediate a North Korea-U.S. summit remain unchanged."

Director Kwon criticized, "They cannot even wash their own nose but worry about washing others' noses, which is truly laughable," adding, "By repeatedly making nonsensical, sleep-talking-like remarks at inappropriate times, they are only further damaging inter-Korean relations."

He added, "It is truly pitiful to see, but if their strong desire to become a 'mediator' is so intense and their greatest wish is to try until the end, then let them try," and said, "We will see whether they will witness the results of their efforts or end up mocked without even recovering their initial investment."

President Moon Jae-in appointed former Minsheng Party lawmaker Park Ji-won as the new Director of the National Intelligence Service on the 3rd, and Seo Hoon, the current Director of the National Intelligence Service, as the National Security Office Director. The photo shows President Moon Jae-in shaking hands with then Democratic Peace Party lawmaker Park Ji-won during a luncheon with the senior advisory group for the inter-Korean summit held at the Blue House in April 2018. On the right is Seo Hoon, Director of the National Intelligence Service.

Meanwhile, this commentary was released on the day Biegun began his visit to South Korea from the 7th to the 9th for a three-day stay.

On the 29th of last month (local time), during a virtual meeting held in Washington, U.S., Biegun sent a message to North Korea stating, "The door to diplomacy is open," aiming to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table. However, with North Korea repeatedly rejecting dialogue, the possibility appears slim.

Furthermore, despite President Moon recently appointing officials in the diplomatic and security sectors emphasizing dialogue and cooperation, it suggests that the frozen North Korea-U.S. and inter-Korean relations will not be easily resolved.