<Anchor>



John Bolton, who served as a security adviser in the Trump administration of the United States, was interviewed exclusively by SBS.

Bolton predicted that North Korea could launch additional intercontinental ballistic missile ICBMs.

I also remembered several things about Kim Jong-un's general secretary.



This is Kim Soo-hyung, correspondent in Washington.



<Reporter>



First, we asked how they assessed the Biden administration's response to North Korea's ballistic missile launch.




[John Bolton/Former White House National Security Adviser: The most important thing President Biden said was that he announced that his goal was to denuclearize North Korea.

I think the US should react more concretely and harshly.] Although



North Korea has produced nuclear warheads, ICBM intercontinental ballistic missile technology has yet to be seen as being completed.



[John Bolton/Former White House National Security Adviser: I think North Korea is still lacking in induction and re-entry technology to enable effective use of ICBM.]



While predicting that there is a possibility of launching ICBM sooner or later to improve performance, time is on the North Korean side. Said.



[John Bolton/Former White House National Security Adviser: I wouldn't be surprised if at any point the North Koreans would do additional (ICBM) tests as needed to improve their performance.

Time is always on the side of people who want to proliferate nuclear weapons.]



At the time of the US-North Korea talks, Secretary General Kim Jong-un was concentrating on North Korea's economic problems, and as the situation is still very serious, he diagnosed that there is still a possibility to make many promises to obtain sanctions easing.



He said he was impressed with his confidence and determination to the general secretary, Kim Jong-un, whom he met in person.



I particularly liked the sense of humor.




[John Bolton/Former White House National Security Adviser: (Kim Jong-un)] He took me to Pyongyang and told me he was going to introduce the North Korean hard-liners that he wasn't that bad.

He had a sense of humor.]



After the breakdown of the Hanoi talks, former President Trump confessed that he surprised everyone with an impromptu offer to take him to North Korea on his own private plane.



[John Bolton/Former White House National Security Adviser: Trump invited Kim Jong-un to board the Presidential Air Force One.

All of Trump's American staff were surprised to hear the story.

I thought Kim Jong-un would have been surprised too, but he politely declined the offer.]



Former Aide Bolton raised his voice, saying that denuclearization of North Korea is impossible without sanctions, and that China should hold more responsibility for sanctions on North Korea.



(Video coverage: Oh Jeong-sik, video editing: Park Ki-deok)