After the rapprochement last year, North Korea’s ruler Kim Jong Un has tightened the tone towards the US. In his New Year’s speech, Kim threatened a „new path“ should the US government not make concessions itself and move away from its sanctions on North Korea. Kim, however, was ready for another meeting with US President Donald Trump.
In his New Year’s speech, Kim said North Korea would „have no choice but to explore a new way to protect our sovereignty,“ should the US try to impose or pressure its country. He accused Washington of not wanting to comply with commitments and of suppressing Pyongyang’s one-sided disarmament efforts.
To speed up the diplomatic process that stalled recently, Kim called for US concessions without giving details. The man dressed in a dark suit was seated in a large armchair in a study or library during his speech, reading part of the notes.
What exactly could be meant by a „new way“ was initially unclear. Pyongyang has been criticizing the US sanctions policy for a long time. The US government wants to continue its own punitive measures as well as the UN sanctions against the communist leadership of North Korea until it takes concrete disarmament steps.
Signals for nuclear weapons moratorium
For the first time Kim signaled a nuclear weapons moratorium. The dismantling of a nuclear test facility and a rocket engine factory would be in line with the determination to „stop making, deploying or spreading nuclear weapons,“ Kim said. North Korea did not test nuclear weapons last year. On satellite imagery, however, activities were seen at the nuclear facilities.
Kim also called on the South Korean government to renounce full joint exercises with the US if strategic systems were used. He has a strong desire to build a „new relationship“ with the US and to create lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, Kim said. The government in Washington suspended several major joint military maneuvers with South Korea following the Kim and Trump summit last June but is holding on to smaller exercises.
At the summit, Trump and Kim agreed to denuclearize the Korean peninsula as a common goal. However, negotiations are stalling. In response to denuclearization, the government in Pyongyang is calling for an end to US sanctions and a peace agreement that will officially end the Korean War. The fighting lasted from 1950 to 1953 and ended with a truce.
Kim insists on own conditions
Experts said after Kim’s speech that it looked like Kim wanted to stay in contact with the US and South Korea – but on his terms. „North Korea seems determined to receive some form of sanction relief by 2019,“ said Harry Kazianis of the US-based National Interest Center. „The challenge will be whether or not Trump’s team turns away from its stance that there will be no relief.“ The US government has not commented on Kim’s speech so far.
In his recent New Year’s speech Kim had struck for the first time more conciliatory tones. Since then, North Korea has also entered a new phase of cooperation and reconciliation with South Korea. Turning to South Korea, Kim called for even closer cooperation. His country is ready to resume the operation of a joint industrial park and the joint program for tours to the Kumgang Mountains on the east coast. Both projects have been discontinued in recent years due to increasing tensions.
