Trump: Talks Are 'Doing Great,' North Korea Disagrees

 

U.S. President Donald Trump¹ says his North Korea policy is “doing great.”

South Korean President Moon Jae-in says talks with North Korea are making “progress.”

Yet the North’s government seems to disagree about the direction of nuclear talks with South Korea and the United States. North Korea’s Foreign Ministry² Thursday criticized the two countries, and said it could completely pull out of the talks.

The Korean Central News Agency reported the ministry’s statement. It added there is no guarantee negotiations³ would restart.

The news agency noted⁴ North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s demand that the United States change the way it negotiates. He wants a new U.S. approach to the talks by the end of the year.

“Our repeated warning is not…an empty word,” said Kwon Jong Gun. He is director-general of the Department of American Affairs at the North Korean Foreign Ministry.

Widening gap

The comments are evidence of the differences between the appeasing⁵ language used by U.S. officials and the aggressive language used by North Korea.

“There is a big disconnect,” said David Kim. He specializes in East Asia security policy at the Stimson Center, a research center based in Washington, D.C.

Delayed talks

The nuclear talks have been on hold since the February summit of Kim and Trump in Vietnam. That meeting ended without an agreement.

Kim was unhappy with the U.S. government’s slow easing of sanctions against North Korea. Trump was unhappy that Kim would not agree to completely give up his country’s nuclear program. Since then, North Korea has ignored U.S. requests to restart lower-level talks.

The two leaders recently exchanged personal letters. Trump called the letters “beautiful,” while Kim said he was seriously thinking about their “interesting” content.

South Korea’s Moon announced Wednesday the United States and North Korea are involved in “behind the scenes” talks on a third Trump-Kim meeting. He also suggested North and South Korean officials are holding meetings.

But the North Korean Foreign Ministry on Thursday denied there were any talks with the South Korean government. It also rejected the idea of the South helping⁶ with contacts between the North and the United States.

The foreign ministry said that South Korea is falsely spreading the idea that the two Koreas are in “closed-door meetings.” It added that South Korea should mind its own business.

Trump to visit DMZ?

Trump plans to travel to South Korea later this week. During his two-day visit, he is set to hold talks with President Moon. South Korean officials say Trump may also visit the demilitarized zone, DMZ, separating the two Koreas.

Some people thought Trump might use a DMZ visit to hold a third meeting with Kim. But before leaving Washington, Trump said he would “not quite” meet with the North Korean leader.

“But I may be speaking to him in a different form,” Trump said.

Both Trump and Kim often praise their friendly relationship. Both have said they will consider a third meeting. U.S. officials have not commented on Moon’s suggestion that planning for the meeting has begun.

Hostile comments to continue?

In recent weeks, North Korea has increased its aggressive language, but appears to be doing so carefully. It does not attack Trump, but, instead, it attacks lower-level U.S. officials.

Last month, North Korea restarted tests of ballistic missiles for the first time in 18 months. However, it has not resumed testing its longer-range missiles because that would be seen as an offensive move.

I’m Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

approach – n. a way of dealing⁷ with something

appease⁸ – v. to make someone pleased or less angry by giving or saying something desired

sanction – n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country

scene – n. a particular area of activity that involves many people

zone – n. an area that is different from other areas in a particular way

quite – adv. to a very noticeable degree or extent

ballistic missile – n. a weapon that is shot through the sky over a great distance and then falls to the ground and explodes

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 appeasing   

安抚，抚慰( appease的现在分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争）

参考例句：

• Mr. Chamberlain had cherished the hope of appeasing and reforming him and leading him to grace. 张伯伦先生则满心想安抚他，感化他，教他温文知礼。
• A pleasing preacher is too often an appeasing preacher. 一昧讨好的传道人通常是姑息妥协的传道人。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

8 appease   

v.安抚，缓和，平息，满足

参考例句：

• He tried to appease the crying child by giving him candy.他试图给那个啼哭的孩子糖果使他不哭。
• The government tried to appease discontented workers.政府试图安抚不满的工人们。