Following US President Donald Trump’s Thursday announcement to scrap the US-North Korean talks, Pyongyang has stated that the decision was not in line with the world’s wishes and that it still wants to resolve its issues with the US.
The statement, made by North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan and released via the Korean Central News Agency, added that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made the utmost effort to hold talks with Trump and that North Korea is willing to speak with the US at any time, Yonhap News reported.
The vice foreign minister stressed that a summit with the US is necessary to resolve “grave hostile relations.”
“We had set in high regards President Trump’s efforts, unprecedented by any other president, to create a historic North Korea-US summit,” Kim’s statement reads.
“We tell the United States once more that we are open to resolving problems at any time in any way.”
The official went on to add that cancelling the upcoming talks demonstrates the lingering animosity between the North Korea and the US.
“Our commitment to doing our best for the sake of peace and stability for the world and the Korean Peninsula remains unchanged, and we are open-minded in giving time and opportunity to the US,” Kim said. “The abrupt announcement of the cancellation of the meeting is unexpected for us and we cannot but find it extremely regrettable.”
Early Thursday, Trump released via Twitter a letter addressed to his North Korea counterpart, stating that Pyongyang’s leadership’s “tremendous anger and open hostility” was to blame for his decision to call off the talks, which were scheduled to take place in Singapore on June 12.
Source: Agencies
