Thread by @BonicMichael

Return of the Foreign Ministry: Choe Son Hui’s Message to the US
38north.org/2021/03/return…
The channel for interaction with Washington once again will be DPRK’s Foreign Ministry, and that means dealing w/ a very cool lady: seasoned high-ranking diplomat Ms Choe Son Hui.

2/“First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui issued a statement on March 18 focusing on the current state of US-DPRK relations…Choe’s comments suggests, first and foremost, that the Foreign Ministry is preparing to become the channel for interaction with Washington once again…

3/"The key formulations are laden with qualifiers that reinforce that point. A few examples that indicate the game is only beginning include (note in all case, emphasis is added):
▪“We have already declared our stand that no DPRK-U.S. contact and dialogue of any kind can be

4/"possible unless the U.S. rolls back its hostile policy towards the DPRK. Therefore, we will disregard such an attempt of the U.S. in the future, too.”
▪“In order for a dialogue to be made, an atmosphere for both parties to exchange words on an equal basis must be created.”

5/"▪ “The U.S. State secretary during his visit to Japan spoke loudly of various pressurizing means and some stubborn means, claiming they are all now under reexamination, only to seriously rattle us.” (Note: being “rattled” is not the same as being threatened.)

6/"▪ “It seems the U.S. has not yet dropped the habit of doggedly faulting the DPRK…If the U.S. wants so much to sit even once with us face to face, it has to drop its bad habit and adopt a proper stand from the beginning.”
▪ “We will keep tabs on all the ill deeds the new

7/"regime in the U.S. is engrossed in.”
▪“It will only be a waste of time to sit with the U.S. as it is not ready to feel and accept new change and new times.”
▪(Literally the bottom line) “We already clarified that we will counter the U.S. on the principle of power for

8/"and goodwill for goodwill.”
North Korea is still in wait-and-see mode, jaundiced but still not really closing the door. In short, the statement signals that Pyongyang is giving itself—and Washington—room to maneuver."

DPRK's perennial position:

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