North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong Dangles Summit Offer to Japan’s Kishida

Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Deputy Director of the Workers’ Party stated on the 15th, in response to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s remarks on advancing a North Korea-Japan summit, “If (Japan) makes a political decision to open a new path for improving relations, the two countries can open a new future together as much as they want.”

According to a report by the Korean Central News Agency, Deputy Director Kim said in a speech released that day, “If Japan shakes off its bad practices of unfairly clinging to our legitimate defense rights and does not only place the already resolved abduction issue as an obstacle to the outlook of bilateral relations, there will be no reason for not getting closer between the two countries, and the day may come when Prime Minister (Kishida) visits Pyongyang.”

Deputy Director Kim clarified that this position is her personal opinion, stating, “Our (North Korea) national leadership is known to have no interest in any ideas for improving North Korea-Japan (Korea-Japan) relations, nor in making contact.”

Previously, Prime Minister Kishida attended the House of Representatives Budget Committee on the 9th and answered about promoting the North Korea-Japan summit, “We are actively doing various things. That’s how it goes now.”