NK News, a U.S.-based North Korea-focused media outlet, reported on June 11 (local time) that North Korean diplomats active in the United States have refused to accept a personal letter from President Donald Trump addressed to Chairman Kim Jong Un, which was intended to restore the North Korea-U.S. communication channel.
Citing a high-level source who requested anonymity, the outlet reported, "President Trump drafted a letter to be sent to Chairman Kim Jong Un of North Korea with the aim of resuming dialogue."
The outlet explained that President Trump’s attempt to send the letter was intended to restart the dialogue that had taken place through three North Korea-U.S. summits during his first term in office.
However, despite multiple attempts to deliver the letter, North Korean diplomats in Manhattan, New York, refused to accept it, according to the source.
The U.S. State Department, when asked about the matter, stated, "We do not comment on potential diplomatic communications," and recommended contacting the White House directly. However, NK News reported that the White House has also not provided a response.
Regarding these reports, a senior U.S. government official who requested anonymity told NK News that while they had not heard of the United States making direct contact, considering North Korea’s prolonged lack of response to Washington, it would not be surprising if North Korea refused to accept the letter.
Experts stated that if the reports that North Korea did not accept President Trump’s letter are accurate, a variety of factors could be at play.
Andrei Lankov, a professor at Kookmin University, said, "Kim Jong Un needs Trump much less now than he did in 2018 or 2019."
In an interview with NK News, he said, "I still think North Korea is interested in dialogue and negotiations, but this time, the offer will be less attractive to the U.S. side than the negotiations Trump discussed and rejected in 2019." He added that Trump would need to make consistent efforts to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table.
Peter Ward, a North Korea expert at the Sejong Institute, said that the White House’s previous disclosure of the letters exchanged between President Trump and Chairman Kim may have raised concerns for North Korea.
He said, "Last time, the White House was very candid. They released a lot of information, including the letters themselves, and Trump spoke freely to reporters about his contacts with Chairman Kim. North Korea may now be hesitant to leave a paper trail," NK News reported.
Ryu Hyunwoo, a former acting ambassador at the North Korean Embassy in Kuwait and one of the key North Korean figures who defected to South Korea, said, "Chairman Kim will not make a move until he knows what President Trump can offer."
He assessed that, as long as North Korea’s close relationship with Russia?which has deepened since the deployment of troops to the war in Ukraine?does not cool, there is no urgent reason for North Korea to try to advance its relationship with the United States, according to NK News.
President Trump and Chairman Kim met three times?in June 2018 in Singapore, in February 2019 in Vietnam, and again in June of the same year at Panmunjom?to discuss denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, but failed to reach an agreement.
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