In a statement released to North Korean state media on Wednesday, Kim Yo Jong – the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un – said she is “completely unaware” of any recent communication between her brother and U.S. President Donald Trump. The remark comes after Trump told reporters that Kim Jong Un had responded to his request for a conversation following the president’s call to reduce joint military drills with South Korea.
Trump’s claim of contact
President Trump told a press corps on Monday that Kim Jong Un had replied to his invitation for a dialogue, a statement he repeated on Wednesday while adding that he hopes to meet the North Korean leader later this year. Trump did not provide details about the alleged exchange and declined to say whether any letters had been exchanged.
Kim Yo Jong’s response
Kim Yo Jong acknowledged that her brother maintains a “great relationship” with Trump and that he “personally has good memories and feelings” for the U.S. president. However, she stopped short of confirming the president’s claim, stating, “I am not aware of it at all, and perhaps it may be the only thing I do not know as regards the foreign policy of our supreme leadership.”
Joint drills remain a point of contention
While Trump has used his personal rapport with Kim Jong Un to argue for scaling back the annual joint exercises between the United States and South Korea, Kim Yo Jong warned that reducing the drills does not change their “provocative and offensive nature.” She emphasized that the reduction should not be interpreted as a “measure of goodwill.” The exercises, typically ten days long, have been shortened to five days this year at Washington’s request, according to a joint statement cited by Reuters.
The drills are designed to adapt to North Korea’s evolving capabilities, including training to counter drones, GPS disruption, and cyber attacks. Both the United States and South Korea continue to describe the exercises as defensive, while North Korea views them as hostile.
Historical context
During his first term, Trump also sought to scale back joint operations with South Korea, announcing in March 2019 that the large‑scale annual exercises would be reconfigured and reduced. Trump previously met with Kim Jong Un three times for denuclearization talks, but those negotiations did not produce a lasting agreement, and North Korea’s nuclear program has continued to expand.
In addition to the military dimension, Trump linked his call for reduced drills to what he described as a positive personal relationship with Kim Jong Un and criticism of South Korea’s lack of assistance for the war in Iran.
Implications
The exchange highlights the ongoing diplomatic tension between the United States and North Korea. While the president’s statements suggest a willingness to engage directly with the North Korean leader, Kim Yo Jong’s denial of knowledge underscores the opacity of the regime’s foreign‑policy communications. Observers note that any potential meeting would be closely watched for its impact on regional security and the broader goal of denuclearization.
For now, the status of any direct dialogue remains uncertain, and the reduced joint drills will proceed as scheduled later this year.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
