White House Says It Is "Open to Dialogue with Kim Jong Un Without Preconditions"

[Financial News] The White House reaffirmed on the first (local time) that it remains open to dialogue with North Korea without preconditions.
A White House official responded to a question from South Korean media about whether preparations were underway for a U.S.-North Korea summit, saying, "U.S. policy toward North Korea has not changed." The official added, "President Donald Trump remains open to speaking with Kim Jong Un without any preconditions."
The official also said, "During his first term, President Trump held three historic meetings with Kim Jong Un to stabilize the Korean Peninsula."
Although the White House official said U.S. policy toward North Korea had not changed, the official did not specifically address whether the denuclearization of North Korea remains part of that policy.
On the 19th, President Trump avoided answering a question about whether the goal of resuming dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was the denuclearization of North Korea, saying, "I don't want to talk about that."
Some analysts view this as an incentive to bring Kim Jong Un, who has said he will no longer discuss denuclearization, back to the negotiating table. However, concerns have also been raised that the United States could pursue dialogue with North Korea while shifting toward discussions that exclude denuclearization.
Since last year, the White House has repeatedly sent conciliatory messages to North Korea, maintaining that U.S. policy toward North Korea has not changed and that President Trump remains open to dialogue with Kim Jong Un without preconditions.
On the 26th of last month, a State Department spokesperson said, "The United States remains committed to the complete denuclearization of North Korea," in response to a question about whether the Trump administration still aimed for North Korea's complete denuclearization. However, following the U.S.-China summit in May, the White House also announced, "President Trump and President Xi confirmed their shared goal of denuclearizing North Korea." During President Xi's visit to the United States later this month, attention will focus on what position the White House takes regarding North Korea's denuclearization.

[email protected] Lee Seok-woo, International Affairs Specialist Reporter