North Korea leaves door open for Biden to negotiate, analysts say US shall 'react quickly'

Even though North Korean leader Kim Jong Un marked his birthday with a lengthy list of new weapons and called the United States “biggest enemy”, analysts believe it was his way to emphasis to the incoming US administration of President-elect Joe Biden to respond quickly. 

As per the BBC report, Ankit Panda, author of Kim Jong Un and the Bomb not only said that Biden’s administration should take Kim’s remarks about developing its nuclear program seriously but also noted that North Korean leader’s announcement indicated that failure of quick action by the US “will result in North Korea qualitatively advancing its capabilities in ways deleterious to the US and South Korean interests.”

The relations between North Korea and the US is currently at a crucial stage. The outgoing US President Donald Trump and Kim had met at least three times but remained unsuccessful in reaching any deal to end North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme or even the American sanctions imposed on Pyongyang. 

The media outlet quoted Panda saying that Biden should take Kim’s remarks on ‘face value’ and clarify the perspective of the United States as well as the basis of what Biden administration will seek in potential negotiations between both the countries. While the North Korean leader called US “biggest enemy”, he also added that he did not “rule out diplomacy”. So, analysts reportedly believe that there is an area for the US to work on the bilateral relations if ‘Biden wishes to use it’.

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Read - North Korea's Kim Jong-un Says US 'biggest Enemy'; Vows To Develop More Nuclear Weapons

‘Biden administration should signal Pyongyang’

Reportedly, South Korea has been more than just indicating that the ‘Biden administration should signal Pyongyang’ that it is willing to negotiate. Most recently in his New Year address, South Korean President Moon Jae-in had said that he willing to talk to North Korean leader “anytime and anywhere”. However, Kim rejected the olive branch and often rejects Seoul as a participator in such discussions. 

This, according to an analyst from NK News, Jeongmin Kim reflects that “ party congress made it even clearer to President Moon that North Korea is not interested in the symbolic, small stuff like inter-Korean cooperation.” However, Pyongyang did not completely shut the US away. Jeongmin said it indicates North Korea saying, “let's see how you behave”. Therefore, the analysts reportedly concluded that North Korea has set the stage for the US to shape the bilateral relations. Kim’s message now is, “Your move, Mr Biden."

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Read - Kim Vows To Bolster North Korea's Military At Party Meeting