Trump downplays threats made by North Korea, Kim
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump played down rhetorical attacks from Kim Jong Un as the end-of-theyear holidays passed Wednesday without any new nuclear tests in North Korea – but with threats of future ones.
“If the U.S. persists in its hostile policy toward the DPRK (North Korea), there will never be the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula,” the Korean Central News Agency said, quoting Kim as he announced he no longer feels bound by a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear testing.
Trump, speaking with reporters at his annual New Year’s Eve party in Palm Beach, Florida, said he still has “a very good relationship” with Kim, with whom he has met three times.
“He likes me, I like him, we get along,” Trump said, adding: “He did sign an agreement talking about denuclearization . ... I think he’s a man of his word, so we’re going to find out.”
In announcing that his moratorium on nuclear testing is no longer operative, Kim also told a meeting of ruling party officials in North Korea he would unveil a “new strategic weapon” in the near future, the state news agency said. Kim had given the United States an endof-the-year deadline to reduce economic
“The DPRK will steadily develop necessary and prerequisite strategic weapons for the security of the state until the U.S. rolls back its hostile policy.” Kim Jong Un via the Korean Central News Agency
sanctions on his country or face the prospect of new nuclear tests.
“The DPRK will steadily develop necessary and prerequisite strategic weapons for the security of the state until the
U.S. rolls back its hostile policy,” the Korean Central News Agency reported Kim as saying.
Trump administration officials had feared such a test during the holiday – a North Korea official had threatened a “Christmas gift” to the U.S. – but nothing happened as midnight passed in North Korea. In speaking with reporters, Trump joked that he hoped Kim’s “Christmas present” was “a beautiful vase ... as opposed to something else.”
Trump remains hopeful of a denuclearization agreement with North Korea, though critics say Kim’s government has continued to develop nuclear programs even after the two leaders signed a document at their first summit in June of 2018.
While Trump cites the Singapore agreement as a hopeful sign, critics pointed out that it was nonspecific and nonbinding when it came to North Korea giving up nuclear weapons.
“Kim signed nothing binding regarding nukes or missiles. No Kim ever has,” tweeted Robert E. Kelly, professor of political science at Pusan National University in South Korea.
He added: “And Republicans used to know that the Kims shouldn’t be trusted. But now the GOP’s a cult of personality, right? So if the great leader says it’s true, it must be so.”