North Korea rules out any meetings with Japanese officials, KCNA says

29/3/2024 18:50

        North Korea has no interest in dialogue with Japan, state media KCNA reported on Friday, citing foreign minister Choe Son Hui.
        
        Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said he wants to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "without any preconditions" and is personally overseeing efforts to realise the first such leaders' summit in 20 years.
        
        But North Korea has said it had no interest in a summit with Japan and would reject any talks, signalling no thaw in long-hostile relations between the two countries.
        
        According to KCNA, Choe also said Pyongyang has no intention to help with the issue of Japanese abductees, adding Japan's interference with its sovereignty will be met with a "stern response."
        
        A separate KCNA report said, North Korea's ambassador to China, Ri Ryong Nam, also said there would be no meeting at any level with Japan.