Kim Yo-jong "Kishida Proposes Summit"... Foreign Ministry "Consulting with Japan"

Kishida "Unaware of Report Details... North Korea-Japan Summit Is Important"
Foreign Ministry "Consulting with Japan on North Korea-Japan Summit"

Kim Yo-jong, Deputy Director of the Workers' Party of Korea Photo by Yonhap News

Kim Yo-jong, Deputy Director of the Workers' Party of Korea, announced on the 25th that North Korea has received a proposal for a North Korea-Japan summit from the Japanese side. However, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he was "unaware" of such reports.

In a statement released through the Korean Central News Agency on the same day, Kim said, "Recently, Prime Minister Kishida conveyed to us through another channel his intention to meet directly with the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as soon as possible."

Kim emphasized that for the North Korea-Japan summit to materialize, a progressive decision from the Japanese side regarding issues such as the abduction problem is necessary.

He said, "As I have said before, what is important in opening a new path for improving DPRK-Japan relations is Japan's practical political decision," adding, "Simply having the willingness to hold a summit cannot resolve the relationship between the two countries, which is full of distrust and misunderstanding, as history of DPRK-Japan relations has taught us."

He further pointed out, "If Japan continues to interfere with our exercise of sovereign rights as it does now and remains persistently obsessed with the abduction issue, which neither can be resolved nor is within its capacity to know, the Prime Minister's plan will inevitably be regarded as nothing more than a popularity-seeking move."

Kim stated, "What is clear is that when Japan stubbornly hostilely treats the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and infringes upon its sovereign rights, it is considered our enemy and becomes a target, never a friend," adding, "If Japan sincerely wants to resolve bilateral relations and become our close neighbor contributing to regional peace and stability, it needs to make a political decision that aligns with its overall national interests and strategic choices."

He continued, "If Japan respects our sovereign rights and security interests with a fair and equal attitude, the strengthening of the DPRK's self-defense capabilities will never pose a security threat to Japan under any circumstances."

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
Photo by Yonhap News

North Korea and Japan exchanged views on the North Korea-Japan summit last month as well.

At that time, Prime Minister Kishida stated on the 9th of last month that "various activities are underway" regarding the promotion of the North Korea-Japan summit, and Kim Yo-jong issued a statement on the 15th of the same month saying, "(Prime Minister Kishida) may one day visit Pyongyang."

However, on the same day in the afternoon at the House of Councillors (Upper House) Budget Committee, Prime Minister Kishida said he was "unaware" of the North Korean report.

He explained, "As I have said before, a summit is important to resolve various issues such as Japan-North Korea relations and the abduction problem, and we are taking various responses toward North Korea at the Prime Minister's direct level."

A Foreign Ministry official said regarding the possibility of a North Korea-Japan summit, "We have nothing particular to say about contacts between North Korea and Japan," but added, "We are closely consulting, including contacts between Japan and North Korea."