Kim Jong Un delivering a speech to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the regime (Sept. 9). Yonhap News. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated that he could meet with U.S. President Donald Trump if the U.S. abandons its denuclearization goals, adding that he has good memories of Trump.

With President Trump scheduled to visit South Korea next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, speculation is growing about the possibility of a surprise meeting between North Korea and the U.S.

Kim made these remarks during a speech at the 13th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang on the 21st, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency on the 22nd.

"I still personally have good memories of the current U.S. President, Trump," Kim said. "If the U.S. discards its unrealistic obsession with denuclearization and desires genuine peaceful coexistence with us based on recognizing reality, there is no reason why we cannot stand with the U.S."

However, he meticulously explained the reasons why North Korea cannot give up its nuclear weapons, emphasizing that there is no intention of denuclearizing.

"The world already knows well what the U.S. does after we are forced to give up our nuclear weapons and are disarmed," Kim stated. "We will never lay down our nuclear weapons."

He added, "There will be no negotiations, such as exchanging something with hostile countries while obsessing over the lifting of sanctions, and there will never be any in the future."

Kim continued, "If the hegemonic forces of the West, led by the U.S., do not escape the delusion that they can inflict strategic defeat on and win against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which still possesses nuclear weapons, and if they believe they can pressure and break us through sanctions or displays of force, they are mistaken."

"Our war deterrence is currently being exercised, and I hope that the primary mission of this deterrence is not lost. If it is lost, the secondary mission of deterrence will be activated," Kim said.

Furthermore, he threatened, "If the secondary mission of deterrence is activated, the military organizations and infrastructure of South Korea and its allies in the surrounding region will collapse in an instant, which means annihilation. I absolutely do not want such a dangerous development of events."

This is interpreted as a warning that if the 'war deterrence' mission of nuclear weapons is lost, the secondary mission of nuclear counterattack will inevitably be activated.

In particular, Kim highlighted the 'two-state theory' and made it clear that North Korea would not engage in any negotiations with South Korea.

"We have no intention of unifying with a country that has entrusted its politics and defense to foreign powers," he said. "The Republic of Korea is a crippled, deformed entity that has been Americanized in all aspects, a colonial vassal state, and a thoroughly alien country."

He questioned, "Unification is absolutely unnecessary. Why would we pursue unification if one side must cease to exist?"

He also clearly rejected the Lee Jae-myung administration's "three-stage denuclearization theory of suspension-reduction-denuclearization," calling it a "copy-paste from the homework assignments of predecessors who dreamed of our disarmament."

He added, "We will legally solidify that we are two distinct states, separated by a border, that can never become one," implying that the constitutional amendment process has not yet been finalized.

Yonhap News