In spite of the failure of the talks, Choe said that the relations between Trump and Kim Jong Un remain strong. However, he warned that North Korea is considering withdrawing from bilateral talks with the US altogether. North Korea may also be rethinking its current freeze on missile and nuclear testing.
Choe places blame on Pompeo and Bolton for failure of the talks
While stressing the fact relations with Trump are still good, Choe claimed that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and adviser John Bolton had created an atmosphere of hostility and mistrust that led to the failure of the Summit.
Reports about what happened seem to show that North Korea had offered some denuclearizing concessions in return for relief from some sanctions but that US demands for more resulted in any deal being derailed with Trump walking out without signing anything.
Pompeo dismissed reports from Choe
Pompeo says that he has every expectation that North Korea will continue with talks and keep its freeze on weapons testing intact. However if the US refuses to offer concessions and accept a gradual denuclearization it would seem that North Korea could decide the talks are not worth continuing. Pompeo gave no sign that the US was willing to soften its stance on insisting that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons completely.
Choe was no less firm on the North Korean stance saying: “We have no intention to yield to the U.S. demands (at the Hanoi summit) in any form, nor are we willing to engage in negotiations of this kind.” Given the lack of any sign of concessions on the US part and North Korean rejection of the US position, it seems that in the short term more talks will happen. North Korea could even renew testing of missiles.
North Korea reportedly repairing launch site
A recent Time article claims North Korea has made repairs at a major missile launch site. It had begun dismantling the site after Kim Jong-un’s meeting with Trump in Singapore last June. Reuters reported that North Korea began repairing the facility just two days after the Hanoi summit failed to produce any new agreement.
My understanding is that North Korea did not ask for all sanctions to be removed as Trump claims in the appended video but just some.
