N Korea 'unlikely' to give up all nuclear weapons: US intel chief
North Korea is not likely to give up all of its nuclear weapons even if President Donald Trump's efforts to negotiate a deal with Pyongyang bear fruit, US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said Tuesday.
"We continue to assess that North Korea is unlikely to give up all of its nuclear weapons and production capabilities, even as it seeks to negotiate partial denuclearization steps to obtain key US and international concessions," Coats said in a report to Congress on threats to the United States.
"North Korea will continue its efforts to mitigate the effects of the US-led pressure campaign, most notably through diplomatic engagement, counter-pressure against the sanctions regime, and direct sanctions evasion," Coats said in the report.
The report, an annual assessment of threats against the United States from the entire US intelligence community, said North Korea's leaders see having a nuclear weapons capability as "critical to regime survival".
It said Kim Jong Un, who is ...