Key facts
- U.S. President Donald Trump views talks with North Korea as pragmatic, not a concession.
- The U.S. remains committed to the complete denuclearization of North Korea.
- State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott made the remarks on Friday.
- Trump has expressed willingness to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un without preconditions.
- South Korea announced investment projects in the U.S., including energy projects.
U.S. President Donald Trump does not consider engaging with North Korea a "concession" and is prepared to talk with Pyongyang if it aligns with U.S. national interests, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Friday.
Pigott stated that the president's willingness to talk stems from a belief that dialogue itself is not a concession. "If it's in our national interest to talk to someone, he's going to talk with them," Pigott remarked during a meeting with foreign reporters in Washington.
The White House has reiterated that Trump is open to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un without preconditions. Pigott affirmed that the U.S. policy regarding the "complete" denuclearization of North Korea remains unchanged.
When questioned about potential undisclosed contacts between U.S. and North Korean officials, Pigott stated he had "nothing to announce at this time" and, as a general policy, the department does not discuss sensitive diplomatic conversations.