North Korea's Kim Jong Un ready to talk if U.S. drops denuclearization demand

""If the U.S. drops its hollow obsession with denuclearization and wants to pursue peaceful coexistence with North Korea based on the recognition of reality, there is no reason for us not to sit down with the U.S.," Kim told a meeting of North Korea's legislature, the Supreme People's Assembly. "Personally, I still have good memories of U.S. President Trump," Kim added."

"Kim added that North Korea developed nuclear weapons to ensure its survival, and it has written its irreversible nuclear status into its constitution. "The world already knows well what the United States does after forcing other countries to give up their nuclear weapons and disarm," he said. Kim and North Korean officials have repeatedly cited Iraq and Libya as states that the U.S. has disarmed before backing leadership change."

"President Trump told visiting South Korean President Lee Jae Myung last month that he would like to meet with Kim Jong Un this year. He has repeatedly referred to North Korea as a "nuclear power." That implies recognizing North Korea as a nuclear state, which is something previous U.S. administrations and foreign governments have consistently opposed. In a meeting in July, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and South Korean Foreign Minister reaffirmed their governments' intention to realize the denuclearization of North Korea."

Kim Jong Un said there is no reason not to resume stalled negotiations with the U.S. if Washington drops its "obsession" with eliminating North Korea's nuclear weapons. He expressed personal positive memories of President Trump and noted past meetings in Singapore, Vietnam and the inter-Korean border during 2018–2019 that failed to secure a denuclearization-for-sanctions deal. Kim described nuclear development as necessary for survival and said irreversibly nuclear status is written into the constitution. He warned that the world knows what the U.S. does after causing others to disarm, citing Iraq and Libya. Trump indicated interest in meeting Kim this year.

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