North Korea leader’s sister denies talks with ‘hostile’ US

What the report says

North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong has rejected the idea that there is active communication between her brother, Kim Jong Un, and US President Donald Trump, saying in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency that she was unaware of any such contacts and describing Washington’s approach as hostile. Her comments came after Trump said this week that Kim had reacted positively to his proposal for talks and later said he gets along well with the North Korean leader and was planning to meet him.

According to Al Jazeera’s report, Trump told reporters on Monday that he had been in touch with Kim and that the North Korean leader had responded favorably. The president also repeated his long-standing claim that he understands Kim and that the two have a good relationship. The exchange revived attention on the diplomatic track between Washington and Pyongyang, which had seen a series of high-profile summits during Trump’s first term.

The article places the latest statements against a broader backdrop of strained ties on the Korean Peninsula. Trump recently ordered a significant reduction in joint US-South Korea military drills and has questioned the value of alliances such as NATO while pressing partners to contribute more to US security efforts. North Korea, meanwhile, has continued expanding its missile and nuclear programs and has deepened cooperation with Russia, including support for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.