No response from N. Korea

[Anchor]

President Trump is reaching out to North Korea as soon as he took office, but North Korea has not yet shown any significant response.

The Supreme People's Assembly, which drew attention, also did not release any messages directed at the U.S.

Next, we have reporter Kim Gi-hwa.

[Report]

The reason President Trump has reiterated his willingness for North American dialogue earlier than expected seems to be primarily due to the increased threat from North Korea.

Compared to the first term of Trump, North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities have become more advanced, and its close ties with Russia pose a new international threat.

As such, there are interpretations that he may be seeking short-term results through a so-called 'small deal' to reduce some strategic weapons, such as ICBMs targeting the U.S. mainland, during his term.

Additionally, with North Korea providing weapons and military support to Russia, there is an analysis that dialogue with North Korea is necessary for a swift end to the Ukraine war.

[Du Jin-ho/Research Fellow, Korea Institute for Defense Analyses: "Improving relations with North Korea, and at the same time with small deals, inducing the withdrawal of North Korean troop deployments could be efforts to help drive the end of the Ukraine war..."]

North Korea has not yet provided any significant response.

Chairman Kim Jong-un did not appear at the Supreme People's Assembly, and no messages directed at the U.S. were released.

[Hong Min/Senior Research Fellow, Korea Institute for National Unification: "It has only been a few days since Trump's inauguration, and while some messages from him have emerged, issuing a position or message based solely on this could actually narrow North Korea's maneuvering space in the future..."]

Since Trump's election, North Korea has drawn a line, stating, "We have gone as far as we can with the U.S."

For the time being, it is expected that North Korea will observe Trump's 'words' and the new administration's direction of North Korea policy to formulate its response strategy.

This is KBS News, Kim Gi-hwa.