[News Today] N. KOREA STILL SILENT ON TRUMP ELECTION

[LEAD]
A week has passed since the U.S. presidential election, yet North Korea remains silent. Pyongyang seems to be focusing on strengthening ties with Russia while monitoring the foreign policy of Trump’s second term.

[REPORT]
Before the U.S. presidential election, Pyongyang fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile and issued statements blasting South Korea and the U.S.

But the regime has been quiet since Donald Trump's election win.

Although the North did conduct GPS jamming attacks, there have been no missile tests or trash balloons, nor public activities by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The regime's media is also silent on the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.

Prof. Park Won-gon / Ewha Womans Univ.
Pyongyang will likely announce its stance after the new Trump team mulls its North Korea policies.

President-elect Trump showed off his bond with the North Korean leader during the presidential race, but he has not laid out any specific policies on Pyongyang so far.

Trump is believed to be appointing hard-liners on North Korea. Pyongyang will likely take its time before the second Trump administration outlines its North Korea policies.

Instead, it will likely focus on bolstering bilateral ties with Russia for the time being.

Analysts say Pyongyang wants to maintain strong relations with Russia after the war in Ukraine, which some speculate could end soon following Trump's election.

Hong Min / Korea Institute for Nat'l Unification
Pyongyang is apparently watching closely how the troop deployment will influence the war situation.

The issue of North Korea's denuclearization has been pushed to the back burner in the U.S. because of the war in Ukraine and the Middle East.

However, some say Trump could turn his eyes to the North Korea nuclear issue if other external issues are not resolved promptly.

■ 제보하기
▷ 전화 : 02-781-1234, 4444
▷ 이메일 : kbs1234@kbs.co.kr
▷ 카카오톡 : 'KBS제보' 검색, 채널 추가
▷ 카카오 '마이뷰', 유튜브에서 KBS뉴스를 구독해주세요!

KBS