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Kim’s letter to Trump includes no mention of denuclearization

Kim’s letter to Trump includes no mention of denuclearization

Posted July. 14, 2018 07:26,   

Updated July. 14, 2018 07:26

한국어

U.S. President Donald Trump released Thursday (local time) a letter he received from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which expresses expectations for the improved ties between Washington and Pyongyang. Denuclearization was not mentioned in any parts of the letter.

“A very nice note from Chairman Kim of North Korea. Great progress being made,” Trump said in a Tweet that also included an English copy of the correspondence, after departing for London following a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium.

The one-page letter ends with a signature, “Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Pyongyang, July 6, 2018.” This indicates that the letter was given to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s delegation from the North Korean side represented by Kim Yong Chul, vice chairman and director of the United Front Department, during Pompeo’s visit to Pyongyang.

“I firmly believe that the strong will, sincere efforts and unique approach of myself and Your Excellency Mr. President aimed at opening up a new future between the DPRK and the U.S. will surely come to fruition,” said Kim in the letter. “Wishing that the invariable trust and confidence in Your Excellency Mr. President will be further strengthened in the future process of taking practical actions, I extend my conviction that the epochal progress in promoting the DPRK-U.S. relations will bring our net meeting forward.”


Yong Park parky@donga.com