US President Donald Trump's new global security strategy no longer mentions the goal of denuclearizing North Korea, a change that is expected to open up diplomatic opportunities for Pyongyang in 2026, according to a British newspaper.
This is the first time since 2003 that the goal of ending the nuclear threat from North Korea has not appeared in a US president's national security strategy.
The failure to mention North Korea's accelerating nuclear program, which is capable of threatening US territory with ballistic missiles, has led observers to expect the possibility of restoring dialogue between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, after the last meeting in 2019.
According to Hong Min of the National Unity Institute, not setting a goal of denutionalization may reflect Trump's wishes.
In previous security documents in 2017, North Korea was mentioned 16 times as a threat to US territory. This document focuses on the concept of flexible reality, emphasizing the control of tensions with China.
However, both South Korea and the US have denied any policy changes, affirming that the goal of de-nuclearization is still maintained.
For his part, Mr. Kim Jong-un said that North Korea has become a nuclear state and that dialogue can only take place if the two sides meet as equal leaders. Mr. Kim Jong-un said that if the US accepts this reality and wants to live together peacefully, Pyongyang is ready for dialogue.
After the new document was released, South Korea expressed confidence that the conditions for resuming negotiations were more favorable. South Korea is also strengthening its defense capabilities, expected to increase military spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035 and increase by 7.5% for next year.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth assessed South Korea as a model ally. During the October meeting, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reached a consensus from Mr. Trump on building a nuclear Submarine with fuel supplies from the US, in the context of Seoul's commitment not to possess nuclear weapons.
