CIA Director Says US Policy Made Kim 'Walk Himself Back'

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Mike Pompeo, the director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, said, commenting on the recent tweet by US President Donald Trump comparing the US and North Korean nuclear buttons, that the US policy made North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "walk himself back" and agree to engage in talks with Seoul.

On Tuesday, Trump wrote on Twitter that he had a "more powerful nuclear button" than North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, stressing that it was also "much bigger" and "works," responding to threats expressed by Pyongyang. According to Pompeo, the tweet along with the statements by the US state institutions made Washington's policy of rejection of Pyongyang's nuclear status crystal clear.

"He is looking for a foothold to walk himself back. This would but entirely consistent with his historical activity. When he sees the threat, he tries to pacify it. And you can be sure that this administration is not going to fall prey to the same trap that previous administrations did," Pompeo told the CBS broadcaster on Sunday.

On Thursday, Trump praised his firm position and his own role in the resumption of contacts between Pyongyang and Seoul and called the talks between the two states "a good thing."

Pyongyang has been repeatedly conducting its nuclear and weapons tests carried out by in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, fuelling the tensions on the peninsula. However, the dialogue between South Korea and the North has resumed this week on the issue of the North Korean athletes' participation in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in South Korea.