North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has once again thrust his country into the global spotlight, announcing this week that he is open to renewed talks with the United States—though with a condition that upends years of diplomatic orthodoxy. Kim’s message, delivered during a two-day session of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly and reported by the Korean Central News Agency on September 22, 2025, was as blunt as it was calculated: Pyongyang will only engage in dialogue if Washington abandons its "hollow obsession with denuclearization."
Kim’s remarks, which come at a time of heightened speculation about a possible fourth summit with former U.S. President Donald Trump, mark a dramatic reaffirmation of North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. According to Kurdistan24 and South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, Kim not only cited a "good memory" of Trump—perhaps hoping to rekindle the unusual rapport the two leaders once shared—but also made it clear that his country’s nuclear status is now "irreversible" and enshrined in the constitution.
"I affirm that there will never, never be denuclearization for us," Kim declared to the assembled parliament, according to reports. He stressed that North Korea’s nuclear arsenal is not a "bargaining chip" to be traded away for sanctions relief. "There will never be such negotiations with the enemies as trading something while being obsessed with sanctions relief," Kim added. The message was unmistakable: for Pyongyang, the age of nuclear bargaining is over.
Yet, within this uncompromising framework, Kim dangled a diplomatic olive branch—albeit a slender one. He stated, "If the U.S. drops its hollow obsession with denuclearization and wants to pursue peaceful coexistence with North Korea based on the recognition of reality, there is no reason for us not to sit down with the U.S." The overture was laced with personal nostalgia for President Trump, with Kim noting, "Personally, I still have a good memory of U.S. President Trump." This sentiment echoes a comment made in July by his influential sister, Kim Yo-jong, who described the personal ties between the two leaders as "not bad."
The timing of Kim’s remarks is no accident. They arrive just as President Trump, now in his second term, has openly expressed interest in another summit with the North Korean leader. According to Dow Jones & Company, Trump has repeatedly praised his relationship with Kim and signaled a willingness to meet. The upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea later this year has fueled speculation that the two leaders could meet again, perhaps at Panmunjom, the border village that hosted their impromptu encounter in 2019.
But Kim’s conditions for talks are clear: North Korea’s nuclear arsenal is not up for negotiation. As reported by Dow Jones, Kim’s willingness to meet Trump is contingent on the U.S. dropping the subject of denuclearization altogether. The North Korean leader’s stance is a stark reminder of the collapse of the 2019 Hanoi summit, when negotiations broke down over the scope of denuclearization versus sanctions relief, leaving high-level talks stalled ever since.
Kim’s speech also included a sharp rebuke of South Korea and its new president, Lee Jae Myung. While President Lee has made overtures toward the North, even expressing in a recent BBC interview that his government would accept a freeze on North Korea’s nuclear programs as "an interim emergency measure" and "a feasible, realistic alternative," Kim was having none of it. He dismissed Lee’s three-stage denuclearization plan as a "copy" of failed proposals from previous administrations and reiterated his refusal to engage in talks with Seoul.
"We will never unify with a country that entrusts its politics and defense to a foreign power," Kim declared, calling the idea of unification "unnecessary." He went further, issuing a chilling warning: if North Korea’s nuclear deterrent fails, he threatened a nuclear attack on Seoul, stating, "Then, the military organization and the substructure of the Republic of Korea and its allies of surrounding areas will collapse in an instant. This means an annihilation."
Kim’s address wasn’t all bluster and bravado. He took the opportunity to tout recent military achievements, boasting of new naval destroyers and the acquisition of "secret weapons" in 2025 that would, in his words, "greatly help bolster our military capability." While he offered no specifics, the message was intended to reinforce North Korea’s growing military strength—now, as Cato Institute policy analyst Evan Sankey notes, backed by new Russian support.
Sankey, writing in a blog post on September 22, 2025, argued that Kim’s latest statements have done U.S. policymakers a favor by "distinguishing fantasy from reality." With North Korea’s nuclear capabilities vastly expanded, Sankey contends that the U.S. should pivot away from unrealistic denuclearization demands and instead explore incremental, relationship-building deals. He suggests revisiting the framework of the 2018 Singapore Statement, focusing on achievable goals such as declaring an end to the Korean War, establishing diplomatic liaison offices, and pursuing arms control.
"Testing Kim’s offer through new talks could open the door to practical progress," Sankey wrote. He points out that with North Korea’s nuclear status now constitutionally enshrined and backed by Russia, any hope for full denuclearization is, at best, wishful thinking. Instead, Sankey recommends that the U.S. seek to manage the risks posed by North Korea’s arsenal through incremental diplomacy, rather than all-or-nothing gambits that have repeatedly failed.
The official U.S. and South Korean position remains unchanged: complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. However, some analysts believe President Trump, ever the dealmaker, might be open to a more limited "small deal"—such as a freeze on North Korea’s nuclear program or partial disarmament—as a way to restart the dialogue. This approach, while controversial, has found some support in Seoul, with President Lee urging Trump to play a "peacemaker role" and chart a "new path" for peace.
Kim’s strategy of simultaneously extending a hand to Washington while threatening Seoul is classic North Korean diplomacy—designed to drive a wedge between the allies and maximize leverage. As the world watches for President Trump’s next move, the stakes could hardly be higher. Kim Jong Un has laid out his terms with characteristic bluntness, leaving it to Washington to decide whether to test his offer or stick to a hard line that, for now, shows no sign of moving Pyongyang off its nuclear ambitions.
In this latest twist in the decades-old standoff, the prospect of a Trump-Kim summit looms once again, but the path to peace remains as narrow and fraught as ever.