N Korea: Trump's birthday greet not enough to resume talks

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By KIM TONG-HYUNG

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A North Korean official on Saturday said that the U.S. and South Korea are dreaming if they think that President Donald Trump’s sending a birthday message would get leader Kim Jong Un back to the negotiating table.

North Korean Foreign Ministry adviser Kim Kye Gwan repeated the North’s deep frustrations over stalled nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration and stressed that the country will never fully deal away its nuclear capabilities for ending U.S.-led sanctions despite its economic difficulties.

He was responding to comments by South Korean presidential national security director Chung Eui-yong who, after returning from a visit to the United States on Friday, said that Seoul had conveyed Trump’s birthday greetings to Kim. His birthday is believed to be Jan. 8.

Chung told reporters that Trump during their meeting at the White House this week had asked Seoul to deliver the message to Pyongyang, which it did through “proper means” on Thursday.



FILE - In this June 12, 2018, file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un at the Capella resort on Sentosa Island in Singapore. South Korea said Friday, Jan. 10, 2020, it conveyed a message by President Donald Trump to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wishing him a happy birthday, which is believed to be Jan. 8. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)


Read more: https://apnews.com/50f256a6811a4befd95dfd01405d74cd

[empedocles]

1. Odd times

[llmart]

2. Two of the most vile people in the world.

Well, as they say, I guess the bloom is off the rose and Kimmie just isn't into him.

[keithbvadu2]

3. Not even a card with hearts and flowers to show the love?

[dalton99a]

4. Send gifts and flowers, cheapass

[Maeve]

7. He doesn't do that for Melanie!

[EndlessWire]

13. HaHaHa!! n/t

[Evolve Dammit]

5. I think the "beautiful letter" love fest has come to an FU Dotard moment. Break ups are tough.

[area51]

6. Tired of all that "winning" yet, Dementia Donnie?

[Perseus]

8. How pitiful is this SOB? Sending a happy bday card to Kim Jun Un

I bet he has been looking forward to this day, he has been dreaming about the card he was going to send his love from North Korea, "How happy will little Kim Jun Un will be when he sees my beautiful card? So many people say it is the most beautiful card they have ever seen, huge!"

[SunSeeker]

9. Right? Fucking embarrassing and humiliating for our country. nt

[EndlessWire]

14. I agree. n/t

[Kid Berwyn]

10. Insane Moron is insane.

Remember when Ollie North sent a giant cake to the Ayatollahs?

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/01/22/It-was-Ollie-Norths-cakeRobert-McFarlane-President-Reagans-former/3385538290000/

[LudwigPastorius]

11. Kim Jong-Un is just pissed that Trump...

is trying to start World War III without him.

[soryang]

12. This is an interesting quote in the article

“They seem not to know that there is a special liaison channel between the top leaders of the DPRK and the U.S.,” Kim Kye Gwan said about the South, referring to North Korea by its formal name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

One wonders what the point is for the North to attempt to embarrass the Blue House? Is it the Foreign Affairs office of North Korea doing this? If so, it is an inept move, and contrary to their own interests. Is there an element of misunderstanding or deceit in this miscommunication? If the so called back channel were operative, why would anyone ask Seoul to convey the greetings?

Weakening the Blue House image in the face of upcoming elections April 15 is a conceivable motive for North Korea, do they think they will do better with the far right winning more seats in the South? Is this the leverage they think they will achieve with media tricks? Or is there another element at work? Trump's meeting with Chung Eui-yong was superficial and seemed to serve no other purpose, than the birthday angle. Are we to assume that the National Security Director is so dumb he had no idea what he was being told in Washington?

Moon's new year address wasn't well received in the US diplomatic circles, nor the Foreign Minister's response to requests for military support in the Hormuz straits. On another occasion when Chung visited the US, he was told to stay home if had nothing new to say.

[Takket]

15. found a picture of the card.......