North Korea says no more nuclear talks unless the US changes stance

North Korea said that during the summit between the two countries the US had insisted on "a method which is totally impossible to get through".

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after their meeting in Hanoi.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after their meeting in Hanoi. Source: AP

North Korea said on Friday that its "will never be resumed" unless the US adopts a new approach, again blaming it for the collapse of the Hanoi summit in February.

US President broke up without an agreement or even a joint statement as the two failed to reach a deal on sanctions relief and what Pyongyang would be willing to give up of its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic programmes.

According to reports, Mr Trump gave Mr Kim a written list of demands and Pyongyang has since accused Washington of acting in "bad faith", giving it until the end of this year to change its approach.
After two summits with Mr Trump, North Korea is not ready to negotiate.
After two summits with Mr Trump, North Korea is not ready to negotiate. Source: AAP
North Korea's statement on Friday, released by its official news agency KCNA, reiterated its stance.

The "underlying cause" of the "setback" in Hanoi was "the arbitrary and dishonest position taken by the United States", the news agency quoted a North Korean foreign ministry spokesperson as stating.

They said the US had insisted on "a method which is totally impossible to get through".

Unless Washington "comes forward with a new method of calculation", it said, "the DPRK-US dialogue will never be resumed and by extension, the prospect for resolving the nuclear issue will be much gloomy".
KCNA refrained from criticising Mr Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo or National Security Adviser John Bolton by name.

The report came about a week after Pyongyang had demanded the United Nations take "urgent measures" to help return a cargo ship seized by the US for alleged sanctions violations, calling the move a "heinous" act.

Pyongyang's foreign ministry also denounced it as an "outright denial" of the spirit of the Singapore summit Mr Trump and Mr Kim held last year.
Earlier this month North Korea also sought to raise the pressure by launching several short-range missiles, its .

"And the further its mistrust and hostile acts towards the DPRK grow, the fiercer our reaction will be," KCNA said.


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Published 24 May 2019 9:44pm
Source: AFP, SBS


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