Hanoi hangover: why North Korea's Kim snubs Trump's advances for Russia's embrace
Trump has signalled fresh interest in direct engagement with North Korea, with the White House confirming last week that 'the president remains receptive to correspondence with Kim Jong-un' following reports that Trump had sent another letter to Pyongyang – which North Korean officials declined to accept.
But analysts say Kim is increasingly unwilling to risk another high-profile encounter, citing lingering scepticism after the collapse of the 2019 Hanoi summit, which damaged his domestic standing and deepened distrust of Washington's intentions.
Instead, North Korea appears focused on strengthening its military capabilities and bolstering internal stability, while pursuing what Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, describes as 'peaceful but cold coexistence' with
South Korea
Trump and Kim at the start of the historic first US-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018. Trump has said he remains receptive to talks with Kim. Photo: AFP
'There is little possibility of the North returning to talks in the foreseeable future, as Washington has yet to present any concrete policy towards Pyongyang,' Hong told This Week in Asia.
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Hanoi hangover: why North Korea's Kim snubs Trump's advances for Russia's embrace
Trump has signalled fresh interest in direct engagement with North Korea, with the White House confirming last week that 'the president remains receptive to correspondence with Kim Jong-un' following reports that Trump had sent another letter to Pyongyang – which North Korean officials declined to accept. But analysts say Kim is increasingly unwilling to risk another high-profile encounter, citing lingering scepticism after the collapse of the 2019 Hanoi summit, which damaged his domestic standing and deepened distrust of Washington's intentions. Instead, North Korea appears focused on strengthening its military capabilities and bolstering internal stability, while pursuing what Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, describes as 'peaceful but cold coexistence' with South Korea Trump and Kim at the start of the historic first US-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018. Trump has said he remains receptive to talks with Kim. Photo: AFP 'There is little possibility of the North returning to talks in the foreseeable future, as Washington has yet to present any concrete policy towards Pyongyang,' Hong told This Week in Asia.
