North Korea's Kim not ready to denuclearize: U.S. intelligence agency chief

[Jonathan Fairfield]

North Korea's Kim not ready to denuclearize: U.S. intelligence agency chief

 

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. intelligence community does not believe North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is ready to denuclearize, U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Robert Ashley told Fox News in an interview on Monday.

 

A summit in February between Kim and President Donald Trump collapsed when the two leaders were unable to bridge differences between U.S. demands for denuclearization and North Korean demands for sanctions relief.

 

“We still continue to assess within the IC (intelligence community) that Kim Jong Un is not ready to denuclearize,” Ashley said.

 

Trump will visit South Korea this weekend after an exchange of letters with Kim boosted hopes for a resumption of talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear program.

 

Trump is set to arrive in South Korea for a two-day visit on Saturday, and will meet President Moon Jae-in on Sunday, following a summit of G20 leaders in Japan, Moon’s spokeswoman, Ko Min-jung, said on Monday.

 

The announcement came hours after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hoped a letter Trump sent to Kim could pave the way for a revival of talks that have been stalled since February’s failed summit in Vietnam.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-25

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[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

“We still continue to assess within the IC (intelligence community) that Kim Jong Un is not ready to denuclearize,”

Not according to Trump:

President Donald Trump has again sided with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying on Tuesday that he would not allow the CIA to spy on Pyongyang while he's in power. https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-cia-wont-spy-kim-jong-un-after-nam-killing-2019-6

 

[Pedrogaz]

Duh, he wants sanctions relief before giving up his nukes....he has seen what happened to Iran. 

[AlexRich]

From a self preservation point of view, there is no point in Kim Jong Un giving up his nuclear programme. Every tyrant that has tried to work that deal has been killed ... Gaddafi, Hussein, for example. So if he wants to stay alive he needs to have a nuclear weapon. He will never give that up.

[sweatalot]

he will never give up his nukes except by force

and while he has his nukes he is a danger to the world

[Tug]

Well duhhhh why would little Kim?Donald has allready given him everything he wants except sanctions relief he knows China is pissed at Donald so lots of pressure removed there Donald has pissed away most of our bargaining chips just accept n Korea is a nuclear power 

[Russell17au]

If the US wants North Korea to de-nuke then it should also de-nuke the same as Russia, China, France and all the other countries that have nukes. There has only ever been one country that has ever used nukes in combat and that country wants to keep its nukes and demand that every other country get rid of their nukes. It is about time that the United Nations demand that every country get rid of their nukes and that will make the world a safer place from the chance of some stupid arrogant idiot from pressing that button.

[Morch]

7 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

If the US wants North Korea to de-nuke then it should also de-nuke the same as Russia, China, France and all the other countries that have nukes. There has only ever been one country that has ever used nukes in combat and that country wants to keep its nukes and demand that every other country get rid of their nukes. It is about time that the United Nations demand that every country get rid of their nukes and that will make the world a safer place from the chance of some stupid arrogant idiot from pressing that button.

 

It's actually a UNSC thing, the US is simply at the forefront, for better or worse.

[Trouble]

I don't believe the US intelligence community has a clue as to what Kim wants one way or the other.  They have been wrong on so many fronts over the last couple of decades that one has to wonder what they are doing with all that money they spend. So many intelligence agencies now the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. Having travelled to North Korea, I don't really believe the intelligence community has the "on the ground people assets" to be in the know.  It's a very controlled country.  As with most tyrants, Kim wants to stay in power more than he wants improvements in his country that will help the people.  It's the same in Thailand, Iran, Cambodia and the list is long.  It's all about remaining at the top of the pyramid. Too bad really as both Iran and No Korea could probably be prosperous countries.

[Dumbastheycome]

he would not allow the CIA to spy on Pyongyang while he's in power. ????????

As the tail  does not wag the  dog Donald learn to understand that  the tail is  just there to  witness the  S#hit passing  by!

 

[jerojero]

Surprise surprise. Nuff said.

[Cryingdick]

Let them rot just like Iran. It isn't worth putting too much effort into when there are so many more positive things to do. Let Kim watch reruns of Team America and The Interview and stew. 

[Morch]

9 hours ago, Trouble said:

I don't believe the US intelligence community has a clue as to what Kim wants one way or the other.  They have been wrong on so many fronts over the last couple of decades that one has to wonder what they are doing with all that money they spend. So many intelligence agencies now the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. Having travelled to North Korea, I don't really believe the intelligence community has the "on the ground people assets" to be in the know.  It's a very controlled country.  As with most tyrants, Kim wants to stay in power more than he wants improvements in his country that will help the people.  It's the same in Thailand, Iran, Cambodia and the list is long.  It's all about remaining at the top of the pyramid. Too bad really as both Iran and No Korea could probably be prosperous countries.

 

Well, even if they did have good intel and assets - doesn't seem like the current President have much time for briefings or details. How decisions are arrived at is an odd matter with this administration.

[neeray]

10 hours ago, Trouble said:

As with most tyrants, Kim wants to stay in power more than he wants improvements in his country that will help the people.  It's the same in Thailand, Iran, Cambodia and the list is long.  It's all about remaining at the top of the pyramid.

Agree with this portion of your post. That's all.

[neeray]

38 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

Let them rot just like Iran. It isn't worth putting too much effort into when there are so many more positive things to do. Let Kim watch reruns of Team America and The Interview and stew. 

And what about the millions of people that are being starved and tortured? Let them rot too?