North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (Korean Central News Agency-Yonhap)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears cautious of not provoking the US, to the extent that Kim has remained silent on the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, South Korea’s spy agency was quoted as saying by lawmakers Monday.
The lawmakers said after a closed-door parliamentary meeting with the National Intelligence Service officials that Pyongyang was exercising restraint in dealing with Washington by refraining from directly denouncing US President Donald Trump.
According to Rep. Park Sun-won of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, as far as the NIS is aware, the North has not provided weapons or supplies to Iran, while the regime has kept commentary to a minimum.
Moreover, Kim appears to be “extremely uneasy” with the situation in Iran, Park said.
Going further, North Korea has yet to either express condolences to Iran after Khamenei’s death in February or react to the appointment of his son Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader in March.
Despite its long-standing relationship with Tehran, Pyongyang appears to be focused on “maintaining a good relationship with Trump,” in light of possible communications between Kim and Trump in the future, the lawmaker said, citing NIS officials.
There are speculations that Trump may plan to meet Kim during his scheduled visit to China for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May. Avoiding provocation “could be (Pyongyang’s) preparatory work to secure a room for diplomacy” with Washington, an NIS official was quoted as saying by Park.
Aside from Iran, Park added that Kim showed no confirmed signs of deteriorating health.
Rep. Lee Seong-kweon of the People Power Party also carried the NIS’ standpoint that Kim’s powerful sister Kim Yo-jong’s condemnation did not target Trump, in response to the commitment to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in the summit between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in March. Instead, North Korea’s condemnation was directed only at Japan.
In the meantime, Kim was internally consolidating his grip on the country by tapping his aides to key posts within the party and watering down the influence of his powerful predecessors Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, according to Lee.
The lawmakers’ briefing also indicated that the spy agency described Kim’s daughter, known by her pseudonym Ju-ae, as “a heiress,” adding that the recent revelation of Ju-ae driving a tank is meant to quash public concerns about a female successor of the authoritarian regime.
North Korea is also preparing to complete the construction of a memorial hall for North Korean troops deployed to Russia to fight against Ukraine, mainly in the Kursk region, on April 27.
Regarding inter-Korean ties, Park of the Democratic Party said there were signs that North Korea could resume long-stalled joint projects with South Korea, led by Jang Kum-chol, director of the 10th bureau at Worker’s Party of Korea.
