U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Sung Kim indicated that “the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has tried to reach out to North Korea to discuss possible cooperation on humanitarian issues, including cooperation on the Corona virus” and stated that “the U.S. administration wants to give understand North Korea that it will continue to separate humanitarian issues from other development concerns.”

And he pointed out at a press conference in Washington that “these efforts were made after numerous other attempts by the Biden administration to contact North Korea, either directly or through third parties, but there was no response,” and continued: “So far , Korea did not respond.” The North showed no interest in cooperation. Instead, we are seeing a marked increase in ballistic missile test range.”

A US official said the United States “believes that North Korea is preparing to conduct a seventh nuclear test,” stressing that he “does not have any specific information on the exact timing of a possible nuclear test.” He noted that “North Korea also launched eight ballistic missiles from different parts of the country over the past weekend, which is the most ballistic missiles it has launched in a single day.”

Kim emphasized that the Biden administration is “ready to conduct diplomatic relations with Pyongyang without preconditions, and she called on allies and partners to also conduct diplomatic relations with North Korea.”

Regarding the timeline for the United States’ commitment to a diplomatic approach to North Korea, Kim commented that “there is no final date for this” and added, “I believe we will continue to pursue a viable diplomatic path to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and resolve issues related to the common interests of both sides,” he said, stressing that the Biden administration “will maintain sanctions (against North Korea).”

So far, North Korea has launched 31 ballistic missiles in 2022, the most ballistic missiles Pyongyang has ever launched in a single year, beating its previous record of 25 in 2019.

Since 2006, North Korea has been subject to a series of economic, commercial and military sanctions under resolutions issued annually by the United Nations Security Council in connection with its ballistic and nuclear missile programs.