US offers cautious response to Pyongyang’s talk of dialogue

The White House responded cagily Sunday to a North Korean delegate’s mention of his country’s willingness to talk with the US.

“We will see if Pyongyang’s message today, that it is willing to hold talks, represents the first steps along the path to denuclearization,” the White House said in a statement. 

“In the meantime, the United States and the world must continue to make clear that North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs are a dead end.”

The White House also said that “there is a brighter path available for North Korea if it chooses denuclearization.”

Earlier in the day, Kim Yong-chol, who leads the North’s delegation to the PyeongChang Olympics, told President Moon Jae-in that Pyongyang had sufficient willingness to begin dialogue with Washington.

At the meeting, held in PyeongChang behind closed doors, Moon emphasized the need for North Korea to engage the US in dialogue.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)