trending Market Intelligence /marketintelligence/en/news-insights/trending/d_lhyzmnfow9kxqfj1aneq2 content esgSubNav
In This List

North Korea still open to talks with US after Trump cancels summit

Blog

Using ESG Analysis to Support a Sustainable Future

Podcast

Street Talk Episode 87

Blog

A New Dawn for European Bank M&A Top 5 Trends

Blog

Insight Weekly: US banks' loan growth; record share buybacks; utility M&A outlook


North Korea still open to talks with US after Trump cancels summit

North Korea said it was still open to talks with the U.S. in a conciliatory statement released hours after President Donald Trump cancelled a proposed historic summit with the North's leader Kim Jong-un on June 12 in Singapore, media reports said on May 25.

"We tell the U.S. once more that we are open to resolving problems at any time in any way... we are always willing to give time and opportunity to the U.S. side with a big and open mind," the Financial Times cited Kim Kye-gwan, North Korea's vice foreign minister, as saying in a statement released by state-run Korea Central News Agency.

North Korea also acknowledged Trump's "unprecedented" efforts to create the summit, Kim Kye-gwan said. "We even inwardly hoped that what is called 'Trump formula' would help clear both sides of their worries and comply with the requirements of our side and would be a wise way of substantial effect for settling the issue," he added.

Trump had called off the summit in view of what he called "the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed" in Pyongyang's recent statements about the U.S. But Kim Kye-gwan said its recent criticisms against certain U.S. officials were a reaction to American statements, and that the current hostility only showed "the urgent necessity" for the summit, Reuters reported.

"The first meeting would not solve all, but solving even one at a time in a phased way would make the relations get better rather than making them get worse. The U.S. should ponder over it," he said, according to Reuters.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said Tokyo understood Trump's decision to call off the Singapore summit, Reuters reported, citing a Kyodo News report. "It's meaningless to have talks that don't achieve results," Kono said.