Pompeo: "Kim Jong-un said South Korean troops are needed to stay safe from China's threat"

Pompeo Reveals Conversation with Kim Jong Un in Memoir
"Kim Jong Un Shouted, 'Chinese Are Liars'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] It was revealed on the 24th (local time) that North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un mentioned to then U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who secretly visited Pyongyang in March 2018, that the presence of U.S. forces in South Korea was necessary for his safety from the threat of China.

Former Secretary of State Pompeo disclosed this in his memoir published in the U.S. on the same day, titled Never Give an Inch, Fighting for the America I Love.

Describing his first visit to North Korea on March 30, 2018, and his conversation with Chairman Kim, he recalled, "He said, 'The Chinese Communist Party always tells the U.S. that if American troops leave South Korea, Chairman Kim will be very pleased.'" Then, Chairman Kim excitedly struck the table with his hand and shouted, "The Chinese are liars," Pompeo wrote. He added, "Chairman Kim said he needs U.S. forces in South Korea to protect himself from the Chinese Communist Party, and that the Chinese Communist Party wants the U.S. military to withdraw so they can treat the Korean Peninsula like Tibet and Xinjiang."

Based on this conversation, former Secretary Pompeo stated that even if the U.S. strengthens its missile and ground forces on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea would not be concerned.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He also revealed that he had to persuade that even if North Korea gave up its nuclear weapons, it would remain safe from the threat of China and that unlike Saddam Hussein of Iraq or Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, the North Korean regime would survive and prosper. When Pompeo offered to invite Chairman Kim to the beaches of Miami, U.S., to smoke the finest Cuban cigars in the world if negotiations were concluded, Kim reportedly said, "I already have a good relationship with the Castro family." North Korea has traditionally maintained friendly relations with socialist Cuba.

Former Secretary Pompeo also introduced the process leading to the trilateral summit among the U.S., South Korea, and North Korea held at Panmunjom in June 2019. He said that everyone except National Security Advisor John Bolton, who had a different view from President Trump, wanted to participate in this historic meeting, and that then-President Moon Jae-in called Pompeo several times directly.

The book also revealed that Chairman Kim wanted to meet only President Trump and that President Moon was not pleased with this. Pompeo claimed that Kim did not have time to spare for President Moon and did not respect him. He also clarified that there were differences in the approach toward North Korea between South Korea and the U.S. He said that while the Trump administration responded strongly to North Korea’s missile provocations in 2017, "South Korea endlessly emphasized carrots (incentives) but had no sticks (hardline measures)."

The book also contains references to Dennis Rodman, the American professional basketball star who visited North Korea in 2017. Before departing for North Korea, President Trump asked at the White House, "Have you talked about Dennis Rodman and Kim Jong-un?" Pompeo recounted that then-President Trump said, "Call Rodman. He loves me and knows Kim Jong-un well."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.