North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently ordered his foreign ministry team to develop a realistic diplomatic strategy for U.S. negotiations, indicating he “did not expect a rapid recovery of relations with Washington,” Daily NK has learned.
A high-ranking Daily NK source in North Korea, speaking anonymously, said Monday that Kim instructed the foreign ministry on July 25 to “craft a realistic diplomatic strategy toward the U.S. from various angles, since I [Kim] do not expect a rapid recovery or improvement in U.S.-DPRK relations.”
This order followed a mid-July directive from the ruling party’s politburo, tasking the foreign ministry with strengthening its U.S. diplomatic strategy for the latter half of the year. Kim’s latest order appears to demand long-term goals and more realistic diplomatic approaches regarding the U.S.
Kim’s directive reflects a need for caution in Pyongyang’s approach to Washington, given stalled nuclear negotiations and plummeting bilateral trust due to U.S.-led sanctions.
With the U.S. presidential election set for November, North Korea must accurately predict the future political situation and adjust its diplomatic strategies accordingly.
“The foreign ministry is urging the U.S. negotiation team to select more concrete, achievable goals following Kim’s order,” the source said. “They believe they must carefully analyze the changing political situation, U.S. election trends, and candidates’ North Korea policies to gain substantive benefits in future negotiations.”
The foreign ministry’s strategic shift
The ministry wants the negotiation team to scrutinize the U.S. election and political landscape, focusing on establishing a realistic strategy that could bring favorable conditions if talks resume.
“The negotiation team sees the politburo’s order and Kim’s latest directive as reflecting the central government’s determination to establish U.S. ties in line with international changes and lead diplomatic policy,” the source added.