JAKARTA -- The U.S. is hopeful that dialogue with North Korea could restart as the hermit nation reopens from COVID-19 lockdowns, a senior U.S. diplomat said in a recent interview amid growing concerns over its military capabilities following the launch of a new type of ballistic missile last week.
"There are indications that the country is starting to open up a little bit from very strict COVID restrictions. And obviously, if you're in that type of lockdown, it's hard to engage in any diplomacy," U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim told Nikkei Asia in Jakarta on Friday. "If they are starting to open up, hopefully that will give us an opportunity to have some dialogue."
