Donald Trump has said he plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year, but Kim's powerful sister, Kim Yo-jong, cast doubt on the US president's claims of secret communications between the two leaders and dampened hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough.
Trump claims secret talks and meeting plans
Trump, who also claimed North Korea possesses 57 nuclear weapons, suggested on Tuesday that he and Kim were holding secret negotiations after announcing the US would downgrade its participation in joint military exercises with South Korea, a key US ally. When asked by reporters whether Kim had responded to his request for a conversation, Trump replied: “Yeah, he has.”
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Trump was pushing his aides to arrange an in-person meeting with Kim, potentially during a trip to Asia in November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China.
Kim Yo-jong denies knowledge of communications
On Wednesday, however, Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korea's supreme leader, said she knew “absolutely nothing” about the supposed communications. While acknowledging that Trump and Kim had an excellent relationship, she stressed that the United States remains an enemy of Pyongyang.
“The United States’ hostile policy toward the DPRK has not changed, and the United States and its followers are vigorously carrying out hostile military activities against the DPRK even at this very moment,” she said in a statement carried by North Korean state media.
Trump responds to questions on talks
Journalists questioned Trump further about his talks with Kim in front of Marine One on Wednesday. He declined to say whether or not he was in direct contact, but when asked if he was planning to meet Kim later this year, he said: “Yeah, I will be.”
“I know Kim Jong-un very well and he’s gonna be fine,” Trump said. “As long as we have a smart president, he’s gonna be fine. If we have a dumb president, then he’s probably not going to be so fine.”
Trump also made the unusual disclosure that North Korea had 57 “very powerful nuclear weapons,” revealing exact intelligence that may not ordinarily be made public. He added that Iran should not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.
Kim Yo-jong lauds relationship but denies troop claims
In her statement, Kim's sister lauded the relationship between her brother and Trump, saying he had “personally good memories and feelings” toward the US president. She cast doubt on whether her brother had secretly been in communication with Trump, stating: “Perhaps it is the only matter I do not know about in relation to our supreme leadership’s foreign policy.”
She also denied claims by Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that North Korea planned to deploy tens of thousands of troops to fight for Russia.
