Bolton says Trump open to talking to N. Korea again
- 5 years ago
We start with the latest diplomacy between North Korea and the United States.
President Trump's top national security aide says his boss IS willing to restart dialogue with North Korea,... despite their second summit ending prematurely... with no deal... just a matter of days ago.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
In an interview with Fox News on Thursday,.. U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton insisted President Trump is open to talking to North Korea again,... despite the breakdown of their recent summit in Hanoi.
Bolton says the U.S. will continue to see when further talks could be scheduled or how it would work out,... but he believes the deal is there if North Korea is ready to look at (quote) "the big picture".
Bolton says the final straw in Hanoi was when North Korea offered to give up as little of their nuclear, biological and chemical weapons,... and ballistic missile programs as they could in exchange for very broad sanctions relief.
He said President Trump just "wasn't buying it" and made the decision to walk.
CNN reported this week that North Korea became desperate for a deal in Hanoi after Trump decided to cut the summit short.
Citing unnamed U.S. officials,... CNN said North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui shuttled between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and the U.S. delegation with an offer to dismantle the entire Yeongbyeon nuclear facility in exchange for sanctions relief.
However, it was an exchange Bolton said he was unaware of.
Observers say follow-up talks could be in doubt with U.S. monitors saying North Korea's missile engine test site appears to have been rebuilt to normal operational status following the breakdown of the Hanoi Summit.
According to North Korea-monitoring website 38 North,.. the launch pad at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station looks to have been completed and the structure may now be operational.
The Washington-based Center For Strategic and International Studies reached similar conclusions on Thursday.
Meanwhile, during a meeting with the Czech Prime Minister at the White House on Thursday,... Trump expressed his disappointment when asked about the latest reports of nuclear activity in North Korea.
"A little disappointed. We'll see. We'll let you know in about a year."
Observers say the latest reports pose a challenge to the U.S. goal of North Korea's final, irreversible and verifiable denuclearization, as the latest developments demonstrate the regime's resentment at President Trump's refusal to lift economic sanctions.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.
President Trump's top national security aide says his boss IS willing to restart dialogue with North Korea,... despite their second summit ending prematurely... with no deal... just a matter of days ago.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
In an interview with Fox News on Thursday,.. U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton insisted President Trump is open to talking to North Korea again,... despite the breakdown of their recent summit in Hanoi.
Bolton says the U.S. will continue to see when further talks could be scheduled or how it would work out,... but he believes the deal is there if North Korea is ready to look at (quote) "the big picture".
Bolton says the final straw in Hanoi was when North Korea offered to give up as little of their nuclear, biological and chemical weapons,... and ballistic missile programs as they could in exchange for very broad sanctions relief.
He said President Trump just "wasn't buying it" and made the decision to walk.
CNN reported this week that North Korea became desperate for a deal in Hanoi after Trump decided to cut the summit short.
Citing unnamed U.S. officials,... CNN said North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui shuttled between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and the U.S. delegation with an offer to dismantle the entire Yeongbyeon nuclear facility in exchange for sanctions relief.
However, it was an exchange Bolton said he was unaware of.
Observers say follow-up talks could be in doubt with U.S. monitors saying North Korea's missile engine test site appears to have been rebuilt to normal operational status following the breakdown of the Hanoi Summit.
According to North Korea-monitoring website 38 North,.. the launch pad at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station looks to have been completed and the structure may now be operational.
The Washington-based Center For Strategic and International Studies reached similar conclusions on Thursday.
Meanwhile, during a meeting with the Czech Prime Minister at the White House on Thursday,... Trump expressed his disappointment when asked about the latest reports of nuclear activity in North Korea.
"A little disappointed. We'll see. We'll let you know in about a year."
Observers say the latest reports pose a challenge to the U.S. goal of North Korea's final, irreversible and verifiable denuclearization, as the latest developments demonstrate the regime's resentment at President Trump's refusal to lift economic sanctions.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.