Arab News Japan

TOKYO: North Korea has once again confirmed that it has no intention of setting up a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio or anyone else.

Kishida has expressed a desire to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, but the reception to the suggestion has been ice cold on the North Korean side.

On Tuesday, Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong was reported as saying that Pyongyang would reject any contact with Japan.

North Korea “will pay no attention to and reject any contact and negotiations with the Japanese side,” Kim Yo Jong said, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

“The DPRK-Japan summit is not a matter of concern to the DPRK.”

On Thursday, Korean Ambassador to China Lee Yong-in repeated the North’s position, stating: “I reiterate the position that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will not meet with the Japanese side at any level.”

And on Friday, North Korean Foreign Minister Choi Sun-hee also made a statement: “Japanese Prime Minister Kishida mentioned the ‘abduction issue’ again and clarified his position that he will continue to make efforts under the conventional policy to solve various concerns. While daring to deny and ignore reality, I can’t understand the reason for sticking to what cannot be realized and the problems that cannot be solved.”

Choi said there was nothing to resolve in terms of the “abduction problem” and they felt no obligation to make any efforts toward a resolution or establishing contact with Japan.

“We will not allow any attempts of contact from Japan,” he reiterated.