Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with the United States, contingent upon the removal of Washington's demand for Pyongyang to relinquish its nuclear arsenal, as reported by state media.

According to Qatar News Agency, Kim addressed the Supreme People's Assembly, stating that there is "no reason" to avoid talks with the United States if it "drops the absurd obsession with denuclearizing us and accepts reality." He emphasized that North Korea's nuclear capabilities "will never be a bargaining chip" for lifting sanctions, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim reflected on his past interactions with former US President Donald Trump, noting that he holds "fond memories" of Trump. The two leaders held three meetings during Trump's first term, but negotiations stalled in 2019 over disputes regarding sanctions and nuclear dismantlement.

These comments emerge as the new liberal government in Seoul encourages Trump to spearhead efforts to revive the stalled dialogue with Pyongyang, six years after peace talks were abandoned.

In terms of inter-Korean relations, Kim dismissed the possibility of negotiations with South Korea, asserting that the North "will never unify with a country that surrenders its politics and defense to a foreign power." Kim labeled unification as "unnecessary" and criticized South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's three-stage denuclearization proposal as merely a "copy" of previous plans.

President Lee's proposal suggests starting with a freeze on North Korea's nuclear and missile activities as an initial step toward eventual dismantlement. However, Kim reiterated his position, initially stated in December 2023, that inter-Korean relations remain those of "two hostile states," and vowed that the North would not seek reconciliation or unification.