N Korea could rethink nuclear test freeze after failed summit, diplomat warns

NORTH KOREA is considering suspending talks with the United States and may rethink a moratorium on missile and nuclear tests unless Washington makes concessions, a senior Pyongyang diplomat said yesterday.

Choe Son-hui, the North Korean vice foreign minister, blamed senior US officials for the breakdown of last month’s summit in Hanoi between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump, the US president, Russia’s TASS news agency and the Associated Press (AP) reported.

“We have no intention to yield to the US demands [at the Hanoi summit] in any form, nor are we willing to engage in negotiations of this kind,” TASS quoted Ms Choe as telling reporters.

She added that Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, and John Bolton, its national security adviser, had “created the atmosphere of hostility and mistrust and, therefore, obstructed the constructive effort for negotiations between the supreme leaders of North Korea and the United States”.

Ms Choe said Washington had thrown away a golden opportunity at the summit and warned that Kim might rethink a moratorium on nuclear tests and missile launches, AP reported.

“I want to make it clear that the gangster-like stand of the US will eventually put the situation in danger,” AP quoted Choe as saying. But she added: “Personal relations between the two supreme leaders are still good and the chemistry is mysteriously wonderful.” Mr Bolton said he had seen Ms Choe’s statement and added: “I think that’s inaccurate.” He said he had spoken to his South Korean counterpart but wanted to consult with other US officials before responding further.

Mr Pompeo said Kim had committed multiple times in Hanoi that he would not resume nuclear or missile testing.

“That’s Chairman Kim’s word. We have every expectation he will live up to that commitment,” he said.