Secretary of State Pompeo Rules Out Possibility Before Presidential Election
Indicates Willingness for High-Level Meeting While Focusing on Managing Korean Peninsula Situation
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The United States, which is raising the possibility of resuming talks by proposing a third North Korea-US summit, has begun to set conditions, stating that "there must be genuine progress." This move appears to align with the message from Stephen Biegun, US Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea, who, during his visit to South Korea, urged a change in North Korea's attitude and indicated that the US is already prepared for dialogue. On the surface, it seems to express a willingness to hold a high-level meeting while keeping the door open for North Korea-US talks, signaling an intention to focus on managing the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated on the 15th (local time) at a talk event hosted by the political media outlet The Hill, "President Donald Trump wants to engage in a North Korea-US summit only when sufficient progress with North Korea is guaranteed." This is interpreted as effectively dismissing the possibility of a surprise North Korea-US summit before the November US presidential election, which had been raised and anticipated by President Trump's remarks.
Regarding the possibility of a third North Korea-US summit within the year, Secretary Pompeo said, "North Korea has sent mixed signals. However, the truth is that President Trump wants to engage in a summit only if he believes there is a sufficient possibility of making genuine progress in achieving the results that began in Singapore over two years ago."
At the same time, he left the ball for resuming talks to North Korea and kept open the possibility of high-level working-level talks. This indirectly emphasized the existing process that a North Korea-US summit can be seriously discussed only after denuclearization working-level talks. Secretary Pompeo said, "We need a complete and verifiable approach (to North Korea's denuclearization)," adding, "We are trying to have in-depth discussions with North Korean people, and we need a partner willing to engage (in talks)."
In a subsequent talk event with the New York Economic Club, Secretary Pompeo also dismissed the possibility of a North Korea-US summit, saying, "It is July now. I do not think it will happen," while emphasizing, "I hope we can have high-level North Korea-US discussions soon and see progress in that regard."
He also called for a change in North Korea's attitude, targeting a statement by Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the North Korean Workers' Party. In the talk with The Hill, Secretary Pompeo said, "North Korea has chosen not to engage in a way that could lead to a potential resolution at this point," referring to Kim Yo-jong's statement on the 10th, which expressed a negative stance on holding a North Korea-US summit within the year. Kim Yo-jong demanded that the US withdraw its hostile policy toward North Korea to resume negotiations. Experts predict that since both North Korea and the US are asserting their respective positions while mentioning the possibility of resuming talks, not only is a surprise North Korea-US summit before the US presidential election unlikely, but resuming high-level talks will also be difficult. Although the South Korean government is striving to create a dialogue atmosphere, it is analyzed that dramatic changes in the situation are hard to expect.
Professor Jung Dae-jin of Ajou University commented on Secretary Pompeo's remarks, saying, "The US government has basically reaffirmed its existing position that resuming the North Korea-US summit is difficult without denuclearization working-level talks," and added, "At present, it is appropriate for the US government to focus on managing and assessing the situation on the Korean Peninsula rather than on dialogue."
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