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WORLD NEWS Saturday 16 March 2019
NKorean official: Kim rethinking US talks, launch moratorium

By ERIC TALMADGE commitment that he would people, military and of-
Associated Press not resume nuclear testing ficials of the munitions in-
PYONGYANG, North Korea nor would he resume missile dustry have sent Kim thou-
(AP) — North Korean lead- testing," Pompeo said. "So sands of petitions to never
er Kim Jong Un will soon de- that's Chairman Kim's word. give up the nuclear pro-
cide whether to continue We have every expecta- gram, he went to Hanoi to
diplomatic talks and main- tion he will live up to that build trust and carry out
tain his moratorium on mis- commitment." mutually agreed commit-
sile launches and nuclear Despite the tensions, Choe ments "one by try and step
tests, a senior North Korean said personal relations be- by step."
official said Friday, adding tween the two leaders are "What is clear is that the U.S.
that the U.S. threw away a still good "and the chemis- has thrown away a golden
golden opportunity at the try is mysteriously wonder- opportunity this time," she
recent summit between ful." said. "I'm not sure why the
their leaders. She said it was entirely up U.S. came out with this dif-
Vice Foreign Minister Choe to Kim whether to continue ferent description. We nev- North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, center, speaks
Son Hui, addressing a the launch and test mora- er asked for the removal of at a gathering for diplomats in Pyongyang, North Korea on Fri-
meeting of diplomats and torium, and said she ex- sanctions in their entirety." day, March 15, 2019.
foreign media, including pects he will "clarify his po- "This time we understood Associated Press
The Associated Press, in sition" within a short period very clearly that the United
Pyongyang said the North of time. States has a very different news reports the North may decision of our chairman
was deeply disappointed "On our way back to the calculation to ours," she be preparing for another of the state affairs commis-
by the failure of the two homeland, our chairman added. missile launch or satellite sion," she said, using one of
sides to reach any agree- of the state affairs commis- She refused to comment launch. Kim's titles. "He will make his
ments at the Hanoi summit sion said. 'For what reason directly when asked by one "Whether to maintain this decision in a short period of
between Kim and President do we have to make this of the ambassadors about moratorium or not is the time."q
Donald Trump. train trip again?'" she said.
She said Pyongyang now "I want to make it clear that
has no intention of com- the gangster-like stand of
promising or continuing the U.S. will eventually put
talks unless the United the situation in danger. We
States takes measures that have neither the intention
are commensurate to the to compromise with the
changes it has taken — U.S. in any form nor much
such as the 15-month mor- less the desire or plan to
atorium on launches and conduct this kind of nego-
tests — and changes its tiation."
"political calculation." Choe questioned the claim
Choe, who attended the by Trump at a news confer-
Feb. 27-28 talks in Hanoi, ence after the talks in Ha-
said Kim was puzzled by noi broke down that the
what she called the "ec- North was seeking the lift-
centric" negotiation posi- ing of all sanctions against
tion of the U.S. She sug- it, and said it was seeking
gested that while Trump only the ones that are di-
was more willing to talk, an rected at its civilian econ-
atmosphere of hostility and omy. After the summit had
mistrust was created by the ended, State Department
uncompromising demands officials clarified that was
of Secretary of State Mike indeed the North's position,
Pompeo and national se- but said the lifting of eco-
curity adviser John Bolton. nomic sanctions was such
She said statements by se- a big demand that it would
nior Trump advisers since essentially subsidize the
the summit have further North's continued nuclear
worsened the climate. activity.
In Washington, Pompeo Choe said it was the U.S.
and Bolton disputed the al- that was being too de-
legation. "They are wrong manding and inflexible and
about that. I was there," called the demand that
Pompeo said Friday. Bolton denuclearization come be-
said in any case Trump "is fore sanctions are eased
our decision-maker." "an absurd sophism." She
Pompeo said the U.S. ex- added that while South Ko-
pects Kim to live up to his rean President Moon Jae-
promise to Trump to main- in has tried to help bring
tain the moratorium on mis- the U.S. and North Korea
sile launches and nuclear together to talk, the South
tests. is "a player, not an arbi-
"In Hanoi, on multiple occa- ter" because it is an ally of
sions, he spoke directly to Washington.
the president and made a She said even though the