North Korea Threatens Stronger Response to US ‘Hostility’, KCNA Reports

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has rejected US allegations that Pyongyang was responsible for stealing more than $6 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance, while ruling out the possibility of renewed dialogue with Washington.

In a statement published by North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Wednesday, Kim, a senior official of the ruling Workers’ Party, described the FBI’s accusation as evidence of Washington’s continued hostile policy towards North Korea.

Her remarks come amid speculation about a possible meeting between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un later this month.

Kim also criticized several other US policies and activities, including joint military exercises with South Korea, Washington’s demands for North Korea’s denuclearization and a US State Department report on human trafficking that included allegations concerning Pyongyang.

“We have already and repeatedly clarified that the US abandonment of its hostile policy toward the DPRK is a major premise and key to solving all problems,” she said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“It is our clear stand that we have no need to sit face to face with such unreliable and hostile persons who refuse to abandon their policy of confrontation,” she added.

Kim further warned that North Korea had no intention of changing its position in response to what she described as Washington’s continued hostile signals.

“To the hostile signals that the United States continuously sends, we do not know how to respond otherwise,” she said.

Trump said in August that he wanted to meet Kim Jong Un later this year, signalling his interest in reviving direct engagement with the North Korean leader. However, Pyongyang has yet to respond positively to the proposal.

Meanwhile, a senior South Korean official told reporters last week that Seoul sees little likelihood of a summit between Washington and Pyongyang in the immediate future.

Kim Yo Jong’s latest remarks further underline the diplomatic challenges facing Washington as it explores the possibility of renewed engagement with North Korea amid continuing disagreements over sanctions, military exercises and denuclearization.