North Korea’s leadership has tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with strengthening its diplomatic strategy toward the U.S. ahead of the November presidential election, a source familiar with the matter said recently.
The ruling party’s politburo sent a written order to the foreign ministry in mid-July, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.
The politburo instructed the ministry to activate diplomatic channels with the U.S., track trends among prominent U.S. figures and collect presidential candidates’ statements on foreign policy and North Korea.
“The party politburo said the foreign ministry’s most important goal is to bolster North Korea’s negotiating strength with the U.S.,” the source said. “They want to evaluate changes in the U.S. political landscape and candidates’ chances of victory between late July and October.”
The politburo urged the ministry to work closely with North Korea’s U.N. delegation in New York to monitor the U.S. election and public opinion. It called for accurate analysis and predictions based on information from contacts with U.S. political figures and groups.
Ministry officials hope for a Trump victory
The move appears to prepare for potential changes following the U.S. election. North Korea is considering several scenarios, including the possibility of restarting negotiations with Washington.
The source said North Korea has begun preparing for potential summits and working-level meetings, particularly if former U.S. President Donald Trump wins in November.
“Trump is the presidential candidate we consider somewhat advantageous from our (North Korean) perspective,” the source explained. “Foreign ministry officials understand this as an order to devise plans from various angles with this in mind.”
He added: “Officials in the foreign ministry’s U.S. negotiations bureau are preparing various negotiation strategies in accordance with the directive. They are also engrossed in exploring new diplomatic strategies to ensure our republic can exert stronger influence in the international community and on the world stage, depending on the results of this year’s U.S. presidential election.”
The politburo has also asked North Korean diplomatic missions worldwide to gauge opinion on the U.S. election in their host countries and form media monitoring teams to report regularly to the foreign ministry.
Diplomatic missions have been urged to adjust North Korea’s strategy by collecting inside information through strengthened networks with local political experts and think tanks.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons.
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July 31, 2024 at 11:45AM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)