Kim Jong Un Reportedly Willing To Resume Nuclear Talks If Trump Returns To White House, Reveals North Korean Diplomat Who Switched Sides

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.

What Happened: Ri, a high-ranking North Korean diplomat who recently defected to South Korea from Cuba, disclosed that North Korea is formulating a new negotiation strategy, as reported by Reuters on Saturday. The strategy aims to lift sanctions on North Korea’s weapons programs, remove its label as a state sponsor of terrorism, and secure economic aid.

Ri’s remarks represent a significant departure from North Korea’s previous position, which ruled out dialogue with the U.S. and suggested the possibility of armed conflict. Ri partly blamed the failure of the 2019 Vietnam summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Trump on Kim’s decision to entrust “inexperienced, clueless” military commanders with nuclear diplomacy.

“Kim Jong Un doesn’t know much about international relations and diplomacy, or how to make strategic judgment,” said Ri.

North Korea has enhanced its bargaining power against Washington by strengthening ties with Russia, which has provided assistance with missile technology and economic support. Ri also noted that Kim is open to a summit with Japan, seeking economic aid in exchange for concessions on the issue of Japanese nationals kidnapped by North Korea in the 1970s and 80s.

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Why It Matters: This development follows a series of events that have shaped the current situation. Earlier this month, Ri defected from North Korea to South Korea, expressing his disillusionment with North Korea’s political system. Around the same time, former U.S. diplomat Richard Grenell suggested that Trump might renew diplomatic ties with North Korea if re-elected, according to another Benzinga article.

However, North Korea initially dismissed Trump’s claims of a friendly relationship with Kim and maintained its readiness for any U.S. leader. Furthermore, North Korea’s recent defense pact with Russia, as reported by Benzinga, has added another layer of complexity to the situation.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal