Why North Korea’s Kim sees no need for another Trump ‘photo-op summit’
Kim Jong-un’s powerful sister on Wednesday rejected holding any further talks with the United States, days after the FBI accused North Korea of stealing more than US$6 billion from a cryptocurrency exchange and Washington launched a new round of sanctions aimed at Pyongyang. Analysts say the latest developments have all but killed off the chances of another Trump-Kim summit, despite the US…
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong, has stated her country sees no need for additional meetings with the United States following the FBI's accusation that North Korea stole over US$6 billion from a cryptocurrency exchange. She described Washington's stance as "hostile" and emphasized the regime's consistent stance against any talks with the US, even while claiming to want peace.
This stance comes after the US Treasury Department sanctioned eight North Koreans, two Russians, and one North Korean-controlled entity over an IT worker fraud scheme. Despite the harsh rhetoric and sanctions, analysts suggest that Kim Jong-un, supported by Russia and China, still relies heavily on cybercrime for a significant portion of his regime's budget, generating between one-third and half of its total funds.
While the US sanctions may be seen as a signal against illicit activities, they are also viewed as a cat-and-mouse game, with new threats constantly emerging.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 2 other outlets
- North Korea's Kim tours 'huge' warship, orders shipyard upgrades channelnewsasia.com
- North Korea says it has ‘no need to sit face to face with’ US hani.co.kr
