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Kim Yo-jong, first deputy director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea

Kim Yo-jong, first deputy director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), said on July 10 that she is “of the view that the DPRK [North Korea]-US summit talks [are] not needed this year and beyond, and for our part, [are] not beneficial to us unless the US shows [a] decisive change in its [stance].”

In a statement released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) early on Friday morning, Kim said that “there is no need for us to sit across with the US right now” and that that issue can “be decided when [. . .] major changes are made in the attitude of the US.”

The statement functions as a response to recent comments by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the possibility of a North Korea-US summit. When asked in an interview with Gray Television whether a third summit could be held before the election in November, Trump said that “I would do it if I thought it was going to be helpful.”

Pompeo told foreign reporters on July 9 that “we’re very hopeful that we can continue to have this conversation [by having] senior leaders get back together as well.”

“Assuming that we hold the summit talks now, it is too obvious that it will only be used as boring boasting,” said Kim Yo-jong, making clear that North Korea won’t agree to a summit that’s designed to promote Trump’s reelection.

Nevertheless, Kim didn’t shut the door to dialogue completely. Kim qualified her prediction that the North Korea-US summit won’t take place this year as being “my personal opinion.”

“That's because a surprise [. . .] may still happen, depending upon the judgment and decision between the two top leaders,” she said.

She concluded the lengthy statement, which ran for about 2,000 words, with the following sentence: “[Kim Jong-un] has entrusted me with conveying his wishes to President Trump that he would certainly achieve great successes in his work.”

Kim Yo-jong left no doubt that North Korea intends to focus on pressing the US to retract its “policy of hostility,” even after the US presidential election.

“We completely ruled out the issue of lifting sanctions from the agenda of negotiations with the US. I believe that the previous theme of the DPRK-US negotiations, that is, ‘denuclearization measures versus lifting of sanctions,’ should be changed into a formula of ‘withdrawal of hostility versus resumption of DPRK-US negotiations,’” Kim said.

“We have to deal with President Trump and the succeeding US administration, and the US at large. I think that we should put more efforts [into strengthening] our capability to cope with the US hostilities towards the DPRK that would continue in the coming days.”

Given Kim’s emphasis on “withdrawal of hostility versus resumption of DPRK-US negotiations,” the question of whether the South Korea-US joint military exercises scheduled for August will be held or delayed will likely be the first fork in the road in Korean Peninsula affairs.

Despite her pessimistic attitude about a North Korea-US summit being held this year, Kim made no threats about taking strategic military actions to pressure the US, such as test launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

“We do not have the slightest intention to pose a threat to the US, and [Kim Jong-un] has already made it clear to President Trump. Everything will go smoothly if they leave us alone and make no provocation [against] us,” she said.

Kim also reconfirmed that North Korea’s willingness to denuclearize is contingent on the US terminating its policy of hostility.

“We would like to make it clear that [this] does not necessarily mean [. . .] denuclearization is not possible. But what we mean is that it is not possible at this point of time. [. . .] The denuclearization [of] the Korean peninsula can be realized only when there are major changes made on the other side, i.e. [. . .] irreversible simultaneous major steps to be taken in parallel with our actions,” she said.

At the close of her statement, Kim hinted at a potential way for North Korea and the US to make contact. “I would like to give my impression on the celebrations for the US Independence Day that I’ve seen on TV a few days ago. I have got [. . .] permission from [Kim Jong-un] to personally obtain [. . .] the DVD of the celebrations for [. . .] Independence Day in the future, if possible.” This suggests that a DVD of the Fourth of July celebrations could be a means of “contact” between the two sides.

By Lee Je-hun, senior staff writer, and Hwang Joon-bum, Washington correspondent

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]