SEOUL: North Korean state media called on the United States on Tuesday to “withdraw its hostile policy” towards Pyongyang or agreements made at a landmark summit in Singapore a year ago might become “a blank sheet of paper”.
The statement on state news agency KCNA, echoing a similar warning last week, reflected the stalemate since a second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi in February collapsed.
The Hanoi summit broke down over U.S. demands for North Korea’s denuclearization and North Korean demands for sanctions relief.
“The arrogant and unilateral U.S. policy will never work on the DPRK, which values sovereignty,” KCNA said. North Korea’s official name is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The report said a four-point joint statement signed by Trump and Kim on June 12 last year pledging to work towards a new relationship “is in danger of being a blank sheet of paper because the U.S. is turning a blind eye to its implementation”.
“ … now is the time for the U.S. to withdraw its hostile policy concerning the DPRK,” it said.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday he believed talks between North and South Korea and between the North and the United States would resume soon.
He said during a state visit to Finland that talks were underway about the third summit between North Korea and the United States, “so I don’t think it’s a situation that needs a third country’s arrangement”.
Trump said last week he looked forward to seeing Kim at the appropriate time.
Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will attend the G20 summit in Japan later this month and will then visit South Korea to meet Moon and coordinate efforts for the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said on Monday.