US President-elect Donald Trump's team is considering direct talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to reduce the risk of armed conflict, Reuters reported.
This month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un accused the United States of creating tension and provocations, claiming that by doing so, Washington was increasing the risk of nuclear war.
Reuters cited sources familiar with the talks as saying that the initial goal of the talks was expected to be to re-establish basic interaction and break the ice with Mr. Kim Jong-un. However, the sources noted that President-elect Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision.
Last week, Mr. Trump appointed former State Department official Alex Wong — one of the people who oversaw North Korea strategy during his first term — as deputy national security adviser.
At the start of his first term, Mr Trump threatened to unleash “fire and fury” if North Korea continued its nuclear tests. The two leaders traded harsh words.
Between 2018 and 2019, Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un met three times – in Singapore, Hanoi and at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The historic meeting at the DMZ marked the first time a sitting US president had set foot in North Korea.
Mr Trump described the talks as “satisfactory”, despite failing to reach an agreement on denuclearisation or sanctions relief.
However, the diplomatic engagement between Mr Trump and Mr Kim Jong-un that facilitated a brief thaw on the Korean Peninsula has since been replaced by a period of hostility between North and South Korea.
Reuters points out that the North Korean leader has ignored four years of outreach by outgoing US President Joe Biden to start talks without preconditions.
Under the administration of President Joe Biden, Washington and Seoul have resumed joint military exercises. Pyongyang views such exercises as a major security threat, arguing that they could be used as a cover for preparations for an invasion.
At a defense exhibition in Pyongyang last week, Kim Jong-un accused Washington of abusing its power by claiming a sphere of influence covering the entire world and using military threats against dissident countries, including North Korea.
"We have explored every possible path for negotiations with the US," Kim Jong-un said, adding that "Washington's hostile policy toward Pyongyang will never change."
Mr Trump said during his campaign that Mr Kim Jong-un “misses” him and implied that North Korea would not “cause trouble” if he returned to power.
Meanwhile, North Korean state media commented that Pyongyang's leaders "don't care" who takes office in the US. The reports suggest that Kim Jong-un's nuclear weapons policy will continue.
