North Korea has reiterated that it has no intention of meeting with Japan.
Choe Son Hui, North Korea’s Foreign Minister, said on the 29th, “North Korean talk is not of our interest, and we will not allow any attempt by Japan to make contact.”
The statement pointed out Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s mention of the Japanese abduction issue, emphasizing, “We have nothing to do with the abduction issue that Japan talks about, nor do we have any obligation or intention to resolve it.”
She also criticized, “I cannot understand why they stubbornly cling to an issue that cannot be realized or resolved while denying and ignoring reality.”
“We will always respond decisively to Japan’s interference in the exercise of our sovereignty,” the statement said, emphasizing that “this is the position of the government of the DPRK.”
The North Korean Central News Agency reported that Ri Ryong Nam, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) to China, said through a position statement, “We have no business meeting with Japan,” regarding Japan’s attempt to make contact.
The position statement said, “On the 28th, a Japanese embassy official in China attempted to contact our embassy counselor via email.”
And it stressed, “We clearly state once again that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has no business meeting with Japan at any level.”
On the 25th, North Korea revealed through a statement by Kim Yo Jong, the vice department director of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Committee, that Japan had proposed a summit meeting, hinting at the possibility of a North Korea-Japan summit.
However, when Japan brought up the abduction issue, the next day, on the 26th, North Korea released a statement saying, “We will ignore and refuse any contact or negotiation with Japan.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kishida said at a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office on the 28th, despite North Korea’s statement, “The idea that realizing a fruitful relationship between Japan and North Korea is in the mutual interest and greatly contributes to regional peace and stability has not changed,” leaving the possibility of a North Korea-Japan summit open.
However, he added, “I would like to continue to make high-level responses under the direct control of the Prime Minister to realize the basic policy of resolving various current issues in Japan, including the abduction issue.”
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