White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, raised concerns on Tuesday (March 16) when she suddenly warned the Biden administration not to cause trouble. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki, asked by reporters on Tuesday, said the White House had no direct comment or response to the North’s remarks.
Kim and Jung issued a warning message to the Biden Administration in a talk on North Korea’s Central Broadcasting Station. She criticized the joint U.S. military exercises with South Korea that began on the 8th. She also said that if the Biden administration wants to sleep soundly for the next four years, it should not create trouble.
On Tuesday, in response to North Korea’s threat that they don’t want the U.S. to cause trouble, White House spokesman Pusaki said, “We have no direct comment or response to North Korea’s comments.” “I would say that obviously our secretary of state and secretary of defense are currently on their way to South Korea, where they will be meeting with their counterparts in Japan and South Korea. Certainly, security issues in the region will be a topic.”
“Obviously, our secretary of state and national security adviser are also headed to Anchorage later this week to meet with their Chinese counterparts. Of course, security issues in the region (on the Korean Peninsula) will be part of the discussion. So our focus now is on cooperation and coordination with our partners, our allies, on a range of issues, including security on the Korean Peninsula.” Psaki said.
She added, “Our goal is always to focus on diplomacy and denuclearization of North Korea.”
Reuters reported that senior U.S. government officials said the Biden administration has privately contacted North Korea on multiple occasions since mid-February to initiate diplomatic efforts, but North Korea has so far not responded. North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un also has not expressed any congratulations to Biden on his election.
White House spokesman Leonardo Psaki confirmed at a White House press briefing Monday (March 15) that North Korea and the U.S. have not been in contact for more than a year.
“I can confirm that we have reached out (to North Korea). We have contacted through a range of channels, as we have in the past. We are also consulting with former administration officials who have been involved in North Korea policy, including previous administrations in the past. We also continue to reach out to our Japanese and South Korean allies to hear their views and try new approaches …… but as of today, we have not received any response (from North Korea).” She said.
So far, the Biden administration has been cautious in public about North Korea. With Pyongyang sticking to its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, Biden’s handling of U.S.-North Korea relations will be doubly in the global spotlight, outsiders observed.
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