North Korea on Wednesday signaled that it remains open to suspending uranium enrichment in exchange for U.S. food aid, a deal that appeared imminent last month before the death of leader Kim Jong Il.
The North's statement, attributed to an unidentified Foreign Ministry spokesman in Pyongyang, blasted Washington for "politicizing" food shipments but said officials would wait and "see if the United States has a willingness to establish confidence" with North Korea.
The statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency offers an early look at how the government now led by Kim's son, Kim Jong Un, will handle two of North Korea's most pressing issues: a long-running food crisis and years of international pressure to end its nuclear program. Some have feared Pyongyang may attempt to rally support around the younger Kim's rule with a nuclear or missile test or an act of aggression against South Korea, but Wednesday's statement suggests it may instead choose to pursue an agreement that could be trumpeted as a diplomatic victory.
The Associated Press reported before Kim Jong Il's Dec. 17 death that the United States was poised to announce a significant donation of food aid to North Korea. That would have been followed within days by an agreement to suspend North Korea's uranium enrichment program, according to a broad outline of the emerging agreement made known to The AP by people close to the negotiations.
Discussions were suspended after Kim Jong Il's death, as the North turned inward for an official mourning period. Now Pyongyang looks to solidify Kim Jong Un's power as he extends the Kim family dynasty into a third generation.