The US special representative for North Korea said that the United States will not accept a phased denuclearization by Pyongyang and maintained that the two nations remain closely engaged despite the collapse of the Hanoi summit in late February.
“We’re just not there on denuclearization, and that was the issue at the summit that really challenged us to move forward with a more complete agreement,” Biegun said.
Biegun said the administration’s unanimous position was to not accept incremental denuclearization from the North Koreans and denied the US had hardened its position during negotiations in Hanoi.
“There’s absolutely been no difference or distinction in the US policy on denuclearization,” he noted.
However, comments from the special representative prior to the summit seemed to suggest otherwise. Speaking in late January at Stanford University, Biegun denied that the US policy was “you do everything first and then we’ll begin to think about whether or not we’re going to do anything in response.”
“That is not our policy and has not been our policy.
