In a recent development, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has instructed his foreign ministry to develop a realistic diplomatic strategy for U.S. negotiations, anticipating no immediate improvement in relations.
What Happened: An anonymous high-ranking source in North Korea informed that Kim reportedly issued a directive on July 25 to his foreign ministry, Daily NK reported on Friday. The order called for a pragmatic diplomatic approach towards the U.S., as Kim does not foresee a swift improvement in U.S.-DPRK relations. This follows a mid-July directive from the ruling party’s politburo, which tasked the foreign ministry with enhancing its U.S. diplomatic strategy for the second half of the year.
Kim’s latest directive seems to demand long-term objectives and more pragmatic diplomatic tactics concerning the U.S. The directive underscores Pyongyang’s need for caution in its approach to Washington, given the stalled nuclear negotiations and declining bilateral trust due to U.S.-led sanctions.
With the U.S. presidential election scheduled for November, North Korea needs to forecast the future political situation accurately and adjust its diplomatic strategies accordingly.
“The foreign ministry is urging the US negotiation team to select more concrete, achievable goals following Kim’s order,” the source said.
The ministry’s primary strategy is to escalate military tensions to pressure the US while securing economic aid from traditionally friendly countries. It aims to display North Korea’s military power through exercises and weapons tests while strengthening economic cooperation with China and Russia and promoting its independent economy through active trade.
Why It Matters: This move by Kim comes in the wake of Germany joining the U.S.-led United Nations Command (UNC) to strengthen South Korea’s border policing. This decision by Germany underlines its commitment to global security and the belief that European security is closely tied to stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Furthermore, North Korea has indicated a willingness to re-engage in nuclear discussions with the United States, provided Donald Trump secures a second term in office. This information comes from Ri Il Gyu, a senior North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea.
Additionally, North Korea views Trump‘s potential return to the White House as a "once-in-a-thousand-year chance" to advance its nuclear ambitions and diplomatic leverage.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari
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