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North Korea warns: Kim says 'new path' inevitable if US demands unilateral action

Reuters
Seoul, South KoreaUpdated: Jan 01, 2019, 07:30 AM IST
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Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has been in the run for the prize ever since the talks between the United States President Trump and him began. In his home country, reports suggesting his candidature have been circling for a long time. Both the leaders have threatened each other with nuclear war for over a year. Photograph:(DNA)

Story highlights

In his New Year address, Kim said there would be faster progress on denuclearisation if the United States takes corresponding action.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Tuesday that his resolve for complete denuclearisation remains unchanged but he may have no option but to seek a "new path" if the United States continues to demand unilateral action from North Korea.

In his New Year address, Kim said there would be faster progress on denuclearisation if the United States takes corresponding action.

He added that he is willing to meet US President Donald Trump at any time.

Kim also called for South Korea to stop joint military exercises with "outside forces" involving strategic assets, while multilateral negotiations should be pursued to build a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korean media on Monday reported that leader Kim Jong Un sent a "conciliatory message" to US President Donald Trump amid stalled nuclear negotiations.

The report did not include details about the message but said it related to US-North Korea talks, and was conciliatory in tone.

On Sunday, the office of South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said Kim had sent a letter to his counterpart in Seoul saying he wants to hold more inter-Korean summits next year to achieve denuclearisation of the peninsula.

Neither the US State Department nor the US Embassy in Seoul had an immediate comment about the report of Kim's message to Trump when contacted by Reuters.

"There is a dialogue channel between North Korea and the United States through which they exchange active communication, but I cannot know whether it took the form of letter or something else," Moon's spokesman told a news briefing on Monday.

However, both sides have struggled to make progress on this matter. They are also yet to reschedule a meeting between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol after an abrupt cancellation in November.

Pyongyang's state media has credited Trump for his willingness to continue dialogue but has also slammed the US State Department for tightening sanctions.