North Korea has warned that a potential dialogue with the United States will remain just a “hope” unless Washington abandons what it called its “failed past” approach. The statement came from Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, amid reports of renewed U.S. interest in talks.

In a statement released via the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim Yo-jong said, “If the U.S. fails to accept the changed reality and persists in the failed past, the DPRK-U.S. meeting will remain as a ‘hope’ of the U.S. side.” DPRK refers to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea’s official name.

She emphasized that recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state must be a “prerequisite” for any future engagement and warned that attempts to deny its nuclear status would be “thoroughly rejected.”

Despite this tough rhetoric, Kim noted that the personal relationship between her brother and former U.S. President Donald Trump “is not bad,” leaving a slim opening for future diplomacy. However, she added that expecting denuclearization in exchange for that personal rapport would be a “mockery.”

In a related statement Monday, Kim also criticized South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s early outreach efforts, accusing him of aligning too closely with Washington and continuing a confrontational stance.

“Looking at the past 50 days since Lee Jae Myung took office, he is no different from his predecessor,” she said, making it clear that North Korea’s position toward Seoul remains unchanged.

The comments represent Pyongyang’s first formal response to South Korea’s new administration and reflect the North’s continued resistance to both inter-Korean and U.S. dialogue under current conditions.