After stories of a possible third summit-level meeting between leaders of United States of America and North Korea started doing the rounds in media, the powerful sister of Kim Jong Un has ended the speculation. In a crystal-clear statement issue on Friday, Kim Yo Jong said that a summit between the two countries would be useless.
"There is no need for us to sit across with the US right now," Kim Yo Jong was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency. The highly-influential figure in North Korean administration further added that "it is too obvious that it (a summit meeting) will only be used as boring boasting coming from someone's pride."
Trump rebuked
This is a direct snub directed at US President Donald Trump. It was President Trump who showed great enthusiasm for opening a dialogue with the isolated communist nation and held a landmark summit in Singapore in 2018 with Kim Jong Un. This was followed by another meeting in Hanoi the next year but there was no agreement reached between the two leaders.
The Trump administration seemed to have not let go of hope for a breakthrough with the regime in North Korea. A few days ago, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said his country is optimistic about a restart of the dialogue process.
But this statement from Kim Yo Jong has poured cold water on the hopes of Pompeo and Trump. The only positive note in the statement from Kim Jong Un's sibling was the addition of the words "but we never know" in relation to the dialogue process. The Korean leader has kept the door for the resumption of dialogue slightly ajar.
Sticking point
The most intractable issue between the two countries is the question of 'de-nuclearization.' The US wants the hermit kingdom to put an end to its nuclear weapons program. However, the communist regime says it is willing to think in that direction only if the US also agrees to remove its nuclear weapons from South Korea.
"We are not saying we are not going to denuclearize, but that we cannot denuclearize now," Kim Yo Jong said in her statement. She also demanded that the US government end it's "hostile policy" towards her country. Things are back to square one as far as the two countries are concerned.
This statement is another indication of the growing importance of Kim Yo Jong in her brother's administration. She came into focus after Kim Jong Un became ill earlier this year, with Corona infection according to some, and had to take a backseat. The younger sibling is now seen as the chief advisor to her brother.
