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Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the central committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), delivers a letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to US President Donald Trump at the White House on Jan. 18.

“I would like to believe that the remarks of the US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper reflected the intentions of President Trump, and appreciate it as part of positive efforts of the US side to preserve the motive force of the DPRK [North Korea]-US negotiations,” said Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the central committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), on Nov. 14.

Kim’s remark was part of a statement released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which credited him as the chairman of the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee.

“I took note of the remark made by [. . .] US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Nov. 13 that he would adjust the US-South Korea joint military drill for the progress of the DPRK-US negotiations,” Kim said in the statement.

While flying to Seoul on Nov. 13, Esper said, “We will adjust our exercise posture either more or less depending on what diplomacy may require.”

Kim Yong-chol’s aggressive interpretation of the “positive efforts of the US side to preserve the motive force of the [. . .] negotiations” appeared shortly after a statement by Kim Myong-gil, roving ambassador of North Korea’s Foreign Ministry. “If the negotiated solution of issues is possible, we are ready to meet with the US at any place and any time,” said Kim Myong-gil, who is North Korea’s chief envoy to the working-level talks. Since both of these statements respond to US actions by sending signals about dialogue, they seem to indicate the growing likelihood of the two sides holding more working-level talks.

Kim Yong-chol said he ”would like to understand” Esper’s remarks as conveying that the US intends “to drop out of the joint military drill or completely stop it.” But he added that “if this ends up [as] our naive interpretation and the hostile provocation is committed eventually to incite us, we will be compelled to answer with shocking punishment that would be difficult for the US to cope with.”

“I don’t think [Esper] made the decision after consulting with the South Korean authorities in advance,” Kim said, “because no one in the South Korean political circles can dare to make such a wise decision.”

By Lee Je-hun, senior staff writer

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