Published : Sept. 20, 2019 - 17:46
A chief North Korean negotiator on Friday welcomed US President Donald Trump's recent remark suggesting a "new method" of resolving the impasse in denuclearization negotiations.
Kim Myong-gil, known to be Pyongyang's counterpart for the United States' top nuclear envoy, Stephen Biegun, made the remarks in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency, also expressing optimism over an upcoming working-level meeting with Washington expected to take place as early as late this month.
Kim Myong-gil (Yonhap)
"I welcome ... President Trump's wise political determination to approach the North Korea-US relations in a more practical perspective," he said. "I expect the US side to come up with a proper calculation in the US-North Korea negotiations which will take place soon, and I want to be optimistic about their results."
He was referring to Trump's remark on Wednesday in which he criticized former National Security Adviser John Bolton for advocating the "Libyan model" in talks with the North.
The Libyan model calls for North Korea to unilaterally dismantle its nuclear weapons program before receiving any concessions in return and has incurred the wrath of Pyongyang, which views it as a threat to topple the regime. (Yonhap)