Senior N. Korean diplomat calls on U.S. to drop all 'hostile policies' before talks
- 4 years ago
Our top story this morning...
One of North Korea's top diplomats,... who held talks with her Russian counterpart on Wednesday,... has reiterated that Pyeongyang has no interest in holding a summit with President Trump,... THAT IS.... until Washington ends its 'hostile policy' against the regime.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui spoke to reporters Wednesday after meeting Russian officials in Moscow.
She said it would be "impossible" to hold another summit between the leaders of North Korea and the United States,... if President Trump maintains his current stance towards the North.
According to Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency,... Choe called on the U.S. to withdraw all of its 'hostile policy' against the regime,... if it wishes to continue negotiations and discuss nuclear issues again.
While Choe nor any other North Korean official has specified what constitutes 'hostile policy',... Pyeongyang's foreign ministry has labeled a recent UN resolution on its human rights abuses as a U.S.-led "political provocation".
The regime has also called for an end to joint military drills with Seoul,... as well as the lifting of economic sanctions.
Meanwhile, speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday,... U.S. Special Representative on North Korea Stephen Biegun called on North Korea to "seize the moment",... saying the "window is still open",... and adding the North should not miss this opportunity.
However, Biegun says there's a possibility Pyeongyang could be going back to "more provocative steps" that preceded the start of the diplomacy between the two sides.
While the U.S. envoy reiterated that the U.S. will try to resolve the North Korea issue "for as long as it takes",... Biegun says such a decision by Pyeongyang "would be a huge mistake".
Despite the North's reminder of the year-end deadline,... Biegun says the U.S. does not view it as such,... calling it an "artificial deadline" set by the regime,.. and "a deadline they've set upon themselves".
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.
One of North Korea's top diplomats,... who held talks with her Russian counterpart on Wednesday,... has reiterated that Pyeongyang has no interest in holding a summit with President Trump,... THAT IS.... until Washington ends its 'hostile policy' against the regime.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui spoke to reporters Wednesday after meeting Russian officials in Moscow.
She said it would be "impossible" to hold another summit between the leaders of North Korea and the United States,... if President Trump maintains his current stance towards the North.
According to Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency,... Choe called on the U.S. to withdraw all of its 'hostile policy' against the regime,... if it wishes to continue negotiations and discuss nuclear issues again.
While Choe nor any other North Korean official has specified what constitutes 'hostile policy',... Pyeongyang's foreign ministry has labeled a recent UN resolution on its human rights abuses as a U.S.-led "political provocation".
The regime has also called for an end to joint military drills with Seoul,... as well as the lifting of economic sanctions.
Meanwhile, speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday,... U.S. Special Representative on North Korea Stephen Biegun called on North Korea to "seize the moment",... saying the "window is still open",... and adding the North should not miss this opportunity.
However, Biegun says there's a possibility Pyeongyang could be going back to "more provocative steps" that preceded the start of the diplomacy between the two sides.
While the U.S. envoy reiterated that the U.S. will try to resolve the North Korea issue "for as long as it takes",... Biegun says such a decision by Pyeongyang "would be a huge mistake".
Despite the North's reminder of the year-end deadline,... Biegun says the U.S. does not view it as such,... calling it an "artificial deadline" set by the regime,.. and "a deadline they've set upon themselves".
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.