CALLED OFF

North Korea: Denuclearization Talks With the U.S. Are Off the Table

North Korea’s ambassador to the UN said the “sustained and substantial dialogue” pursued by the U.S. was just a “time-saving trick.”

North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations said that denuclearization is off the negotiating table with the United States. “We do not need to have lengthy talks with the U.S. now and the denuclearization is already gone out of the negotiation table,” U.N. ambassador Kim Song said in a statement. Reuters reports that Kim added that the “sustained and substantial dialogue” pursued by the U.S. was just a “time-saving trick” meant to benefit its domestic political agenda, referring to President Trump’s bid for re-election in 2020. The ambassador’s comments come as the year-end deadline set by North Korea for nuclear negotiations nears. Trump told reporters Saturday that he would be surprised if North Korea acted with hostility. “I have a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un,” Trump said. “I think we both want to keep it that way. He knows I have an election coming up. I don’t think he wants to interfere with that.”