North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Thursday that Pyongyang could improve relations with Washington if its nuclear status is respected, while toughening his stance toward Seoul by calling it the country's "most hostile" enemy. His statements come amid speculation about a possible meeting with US President Donald Trump.
First modification: 02/26/2026 - 09:04
Kim Jong Un suggested his country could “get along” with the United States, but declared that South Korea — Washington's security ally — remains its “most hostile” enemy, state media reported Thursday.
Kim made the remarks at the close of a party congress, urging Washington to respect Pyongyang's status as a nuclear power.
His words come amid growing speculation that US President Donald Trump may seek some kind of meeting with Kim on the sidelines of a visit to China in April.
If Washington "respects the current status of our country as stipulated in the Constitution (…) and withdraws its hostile policy (…) there is no reason why we cannot get along with the United States," Kim said, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
However, he appeared to close the door on any attempt to strengthen ties with South Korea, stating that he would "permanently exclude" Seoul as one of his nation's "compatriots."
North Korea "has absolutely no issues to discuss with South Korea, its most hostile entity," Kim said, calling Seoul's recent conciliatory gestures "misleading."
Pyongyang amended its Constitution in 2024 to define South Korea as a "hostile state" for the first time.
A "grand" military parade marked the end of the Workers' Party congress, an event held every five years that guides the state's efforts in areas ranging from foreign policy to war planning.
In the past, North Korea has used these parades to showcase its latest weapons, offering a rare insight into the capabilities of its military.
Trump approaches
US President Donald Trump stepped up his gestures towards Kim during a tour of Asia in 2025, saying he was "100%" open to a meeting.
Trump even broke with decades of US policy by acknowledging that North Korea was "somewhat of a nuclear power."
A meeting between Trump and Kim in April would represent a significant breakthrough after years of stalled diplomacy, after the collapse of their 2019 summit in Hanoi over disagreements over sanctions relief and what Pyongyang would be willing to give up of its nuclear arsenal in exchange.
Kim appeared alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a grand military parade in Beijing in 2025, a striking display of his powerful allies and elevated status in global politics.
Pyongyang has become particularly close to Moscow, sending thousands of soldiers to support Russia's war against Ukraine.
Analysts point out that Russia is providing North Korea with military technology, food and energy supplies in exchange, allowing it to avoid tough international sanctions.
"With Moscow now providing a substantial economic lifeline — effectively neutralizing the impact of UN sanctions — Kim Jong Un no longer feels the same urgency to respond" to Washington's gestures of dialogue, Seong-Hyon Lee, a visiting fellow at Harvard University's Asia Center, told AFP.
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