North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday indicated that Pyongyang could pursue improved relations with the United States if Washington abandons what he described as a “hostile policy” toward the DPRK, while firmly rejecting recent dialogue proposals from South Korea as insincere and deceptive, according to reports from state media KCNA.
Speaking at a congress of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang, Kim stated: “We have no reason not to get along with the United States if it respects our country’s current status, as defined in the North Korean Constitution, and drops its hostile policy toward North Korea.”
He added a warning: “Whether it is peaceful coexistence or eternal confrontation, we are prepared for both,” making clear that future US-DPRK ties would hinge on Washington’s willingness to shift its approach. The remarks represent a conditional olive branch amid ongoing speculation about renewed diplomacy, particularly ahead of US President Donald Trump’s expected visit to China in April 2026.
At the same time, Kim dismissed overtures from Seoul as “deceptive,” underscoring persistent distrust and tensions on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea’s presidential office responded cautiously, reaffirming its commitment to peaceful coexistence: “Our government will continue efforts to open a future of co-prosperity in which the two Koreas can peacefully coexist and prosper together,” a senior official said. “To this end, the South and the North should refrain from hostile and confrontational rhetoric and build a foundation of mutual respect and trust.”
The comments were delivered during a major WPK congress, followed by a military parade in Pyongyang on Wednesday where Kim praised the Korean People’s Army (KPA) as the “core force defending the country’s sovereignty.” He vowed that the military would “deliver terrible retaliatory attacks to any forces the moment they commit hostile military acts infringing upon our national sovereignty and security interests.”
China, North Korea’s closest ally, responded to Kim’s remarks on Thursday by calling for peace and stability on the peninsula. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stated: “As a first neighbor of Korean Peninsula, China pays attention to developments on the peninsula. A peaceful and stable peninsula is in the interest of all parties and Beijing hopes parties will work together to this end.”
The statements come against a backdrop of stalled denuclearization talks since the collapse of the Hanoi summit in 2019 and renewed US military deployments in the region, including aircraft carriers and additional forces. President Trump has repeatedly stated his preference for diplomacy while insisting Iran (and by extension other adversarial states) will not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, a position he reiterated in his recent State of the Union address.
Analysts note that Kim’s conditional openness to the US echoes past patterns where North Korea has alternated between provocative actions and diplomatic signaling, often timed to coincide with US leadership transitions or major regional events. The explicit rejection of South Korea’s dialogue proposals suggests continued prioritization of direct engagement with Washington over inter-Korean channels.
The WPK congress and military parade also served to reaffirm domestic unity and military readiness, with Kim emphasizing the KPA’s loyalty and role in safeguarding sovereignty amid perceived external threats.
No immediate response from the US State Department or White House was available as of Thursday morning, though officials have previously indicated that diplomacy remains the preferred path, provided it leads to verifiable denuclearization.
The Korean Peninsula remains one of the world’s most volatile flashpoints, with the DPRK continuing to advance its nuclear and missile programs despite UN sanctions and international pressure.
