WASHINGTON, United States: The United States sees no signs of “imminent” war from North Korea despite a spate of confrontational actions and its refusal to talk to Washington, a top politician on Thursday said.
A senior State Department official, Jung Pak, who deals with North Korea, said the United States was taking no chances and would work to strengthen deterrence with allies Japan and South Korea — but had seen no significant progress recently.
“Fundamentally, I don’t think Kim’s posture has changed,” Pak said of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “I don’t see an imminent or direct attack at this point,” she added.
“I’ll also say that it’s clear that Kim has decided that now’s not the time that they want to be having dialogue and diplomacy, especially not with the United States, but clearly they’re doing that with Russia,” she told media.
So far this year, Kim has declared South Korea his country’s “main enemy,” abandoned agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatened war over “even 0.001mm” of territorial encroachment.
Pyongyang has also stepped up weapons tests, including cruise missiles, an “underwater nuclear weapons system” and a solid-fueled hypersonic ballistic missile.
In a recent essay on the 38 North blog, scholars Siegfried Heckler and Robert Carlin said Kim’s actions show he may have convinced himself that engagement with the United States has failed and that he must seek a military solution.
Kim met three times with Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, which eased tensions but led to no lasting agreement.
He rejected offers of renewed but reduced dialogue with the Biden administration.
He then reiterated that the United States was willing to talk “without preconditions” but ruled out formal acceptance of North Korea’s nuclear programme, which is seen as a significant goal for Kim as he bids to preserve his totalitarian dynasty.
Recognizing North Korea as a nuclear power would be “an affront to the global non-proliferation regime” and “is not on the table at all,” she said.
