KIM YO-JONG SENDS MESSAGE TO THE U.S.

[Anchor Lead]

As US nuclear envoy Stephen Biegun wrapped up his visit to South Korea, top North Korean official Kim Yo-jong has issued a message to Washington. She said there will be no summit with the US this year and called for significant irreversible measures taken by the US to achieve denuclearization.

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​North Korea's senior ruling party official and the sister of the regime's leader Kim Jong-un is skeptical about another Pyongyang-Washington summit taking place this year. Kim Yo-jong issued a statement Friday adding that it was her personal opinion and argued there will be no summit with the U.S. this year and such a meeting is only beneficial for the U.S. She said as long as there is no definite change in Washington's position, a summit is of no substantial use to North Korea. But Kim did not completely rule out the possibility, saying there's no knowing what can happen depending on the decision of the North Korean and US leaders. The statement came 6 hours after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hinted at a possible high-level contact with North Korea. Though the North has brushed off prospects of a 2020 summit, it also expressed the will to denuclearize. Kim clarified that her country is not saying it is unwilling to denuclearize but rather lacks the option. She said in order for denuclearization, many changes, irreversible steps, must be first taken by the US. Kim Yo-jong said the North has no intention to re-discuss the dismantlement of Yongbyon nuclear facilities in return for partial sanction relief which was addressed during last year's Hanoi summit which collapsed without a deal. She claimed talks must move to a new framework, namely the withdrawal of hostile policies for the resumption of North Korea-U.S. negotiations. Kim Yo-jong also noted the friendship between the leaders of the two countries. She said leader Kim Jong-un's personal feelings toward President Donald Trump remain steadfast and he hopes for a good outcome in Trump's reelection bid.