Overview

• President Trump sent a letter to Kim Jong-un aiming to restart diplomatic talks stalled since his second term began.
• North Korean envoys at the United Nations in New York refused to accept the correspondence delivered through the UN channel.
• Observers view the refusal as a move by Pyongyang to insist on formal acknowledgment of its nuclear-weapon status before reengaging.
• Analysts say North Korea’s deeper economic and military ties with Russia and China have reduced Kim’s incentive to negotiate with Washington.
• Both the White House and the State Department declined to comment on reports of the letter and its rejection.