Report: Kim Jong Un unlikely to attend upcoming U.N. General Assembly

SEOUL, July 18 (UPI) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is unlikely to attend the upcoming U.N. General Assembly in September as his name is not on the list of speakers, according to a Japanese press report.

While leaders, such as U.S. President Donald Trump, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korea President Moon Jae-in are scheduled to speak at the General Assembly, a ministerial-level figure from North Korea is expected to take to the podium on Sept. 29, Nikkei Shimbun reported, citing a list of speakers by the U.N.

At last year’s General Assembly, North Korean Foreign Minister Lee Yong-ho attended the event and delivered a fiery speech against the U.S. He denounced U.S. President Donald Trump, saying he is on “suicide mission” in response to his earlier pledge to “totally destroy” North Korea.

Meanwhile, South Korean Foreign Minister didn’t rule out the possibility that leaders of the U.S., South and North Korean leaders will meet for a trilateral summit at the Assembly in September.

“In the past, it took months to prepare for a summit between the North and South but now it exceeded the usual practice. It’s unpredictable what kind of communication would happen before President Moon’s visit to Pyongyang,” said South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa to reporters in London on Wednesday, following her meeting with ambassadors based in Europe, Yonhap reported.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in is invited to visit Pyongyang later this year by Kim.

“The Panmunjom Declaration vows to announce the end of the Korean War within this year,” she said. “We will make diplomatic efforts to make it happen, but it’s hard to specify the time.”

Kang also reiterated that the complete denuclearization is a long-term goal, firmly shared with the U.S. and South Korea and also with the international community.

Her comment is in line with Trump’s earlier remarks that there is “no time limit” and “no speed limit” to denuclearize North Korea’s nuclear weapons.