Trump’s second act with North Korea is already facing a familiar problem as ‘denuclearization’ seems like a pipe dream

Donald Trump’s second attempt at dealing with North Korea is already running into the same old problem, as getting rid of North Korea’s nuclear weapons seems nearly impossible. North Korea is laying out strict, non-negotiable demands before any new talks can happen, making it clear they will strongly resist any push for denuclearization.

Kim Yo Jong, a key leader in North Korea and the sister of the wealthy Kim Jong Un, has issued sharp warnings to the United States, stating that tying future meetings to giving up their nuclear program would be seen as an insult. Kim Yo Jong said that while the relationship between Trump and Kim Jong Un is “not bad,” any effort to force North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons is off the table.

She stressed that North Korea’s nuclear capabilities have grown much stronger since the last time the two leaders met, meaning the situation for any talks has completely changed. As reported by Fox, demands focused on denuclearization are disrespectful to North Korea, reinforcing its position as a country that will keep its nuclear weapons. She hinted that the U.S. should try a different way of dealing with North Korea, one that accepts the current situation and looks for new ways to move forward.

North Korea won’t disarm nuclear weapons

During his first term, Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un three times: in Singapore in 2018, Hanoi in 2019, and at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in 2019. The DMZ meeting was especially historic because it was the first time a sitting U.S. president entered North Korean territory. Even though these meetings were groundbreaking, they did not lead to any major progress. North Korea kept its nuclear weapons, and the U.S. continued its sanctions, leaving North Korea cut off from global trade.

From the U.S. side, a White House official said Trump is still willing to talk with the North Korean leader, with the goal of a “fully denuclearized North Korea.” Similarly, the White House press secretary recently mentioned Trump’s hope for “progress” from the meetings during his first term.

In a statement honoring the 72nd anniversary of the end of the Korean War, Trump said he was proud to be the first sitting president to cross into North Korea at the DMZ. Trump also reaffirmed the strong U.S. partnership with South Korea, saying American and South Korean forces remain in an “unbreakable alliance” despite the ongoing influence of communism in Asia.