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| ▲ U.S. President Donald Trump sits in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Jan. 23, 2025, as he signs executive orders, in this photo released by Reuters. (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) Trump policy-N Korea
(LEAD) Trump will pursue complete denuclearization of N. Korea: NSC spokesperson
(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES throughout)
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump will pursue the "complete denuclearization of North Korea," a White House official said Tuesday, amid questions over whether Trump's recent reference to the North as a "nuclear power" signaled any policy shift.
National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes made the remarks shortly after the North's Korean Central News Agency reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a nuclear-material production base and a nuclear weapons institute in an apparent move to highlight its military capability.
"President Trump will pursue the complete denuclearization of North Korea, just as he did in his first term," Hughes said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency.
"President Trump had a good relationship with Kim Jong Un, and his mix of toughness and diplomacy led to the first-ever leader-level commitment to complete denuclearization," the official added.
Earlier in the day, a U.S. government official said that there has been no change yet in the United States' policy toward North Korea.
"There has not been any change of policy regarding the DPRK," the official said on condition of anonymity. DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Last week, Trump referred to the North as a nuclear power -- a term that U.S. officials have mostly refrained from using as it could be regarded as U.S. recognition of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also called the North a nuclear power during his confirmation hearing earlier this month.
Though there has been no U.S. policy change yet, it remains to be seen whether Trump could make a shift as he remains interested in reengaging with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. During a recent Fox News interview, the president said he will reach out to Kim again.
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