Trump’s Iran airstrikes test Kim Jong Un’s nerves — and his appetite for talks | NK News
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June 24, 2025Jun 24, 2025
Analysis

Trump’s Iran airstrikes test Kim Jong Un’s nerves — and his appetite for talks

Experts tell NK News Kim Jong Un must now weigh fear of a first strike against confidence in nuclear deterrence

The U.S. airstrikes that crippled Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend are likely reshaping the strategic calculus in Pyongyang. However, analysts are divided over whether Kim Jong Un will interpret Washington’s show of force as a warning that pushes him back to the negotiating table — or as evidence that North Korea must accelerate its nuclear programs to deter a similar attack.

The dramatic U.S. airstrikes on Iran's underground nuclear sites at Fordow and Natanz have injected fresh uncertainty into an already frozen diplomatic relationship, coming as North Korean diplomats in New York have repeatedly rebuffed Trump's written overtures to Kim, according to an informed source who recently spoke to NK News.

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