North Korea tightens pressure on Trump with collapse of talks

Pyongyang turns aggressive as US reaches for progress ahead of 2020 election

20191007 Koreas US Nuclear Diplomacy

U.S. President Donald Trump, right, last met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the border village of Panmunjom in the Korean Demilitarized Zone on June 30. © AP

YOSUKE ONCHI and TSUYOSHI NAGASAWA, Nikkei staff writers

SEOUL/WASHINGTON -- The breakdown of nuclear talks between the U.S. and North Korea appears to be part of Pyongyang's negotiating strategy to pry concessions from President Donald Trump, who faces re-election in 13 months.

Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, met Saturday with counterpart Kim Myong Gil on the outskirts of Stockholm, the first negotiations between the two sides in about seven months. But after eight and a half hours of talks, Kim appeared in front of the North Korean Embassy and read a statement that criticized the U.S. and blamed Washington for the collapse of talks.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.