North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state is permanent and non-negotiable, regardless of external demands, according to a statement released Wednesday by Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Her comments, reported by state media KCNA, come in response to a recent joint statement by the foreign ministers of South Korea, Japan, and the United States during a NATO meeting.
The trio reaffirmed their “commitment to the complete denuclearization” of North Korea, a goal long sought by Washington and its regional allies.
In her response, Kim Yo Jong stated that North Korea’s nuclear arsenal—described as “substantial and very strong”—is a direct result of external threats. She emphasized that this status is enshrined in the country’s constitution and “does not change no matter how desperately anyone denies it.”
Denouncing calls for denuclearization as “the most hostile act,” she claimed such efforts amount to a denial of North Korea’s sovereignty. “If the U.S. and its followers persist in their outdated calls for denuclearization,” she warned, “they will only further legitimize our pursuit of the strongest nuclear force for self-defense.”
Kim further asserted that North Korea’s nuclear stance is unshakable: “This is our steadfast choice that can never be reversed by any physical strength or sly artifice.”
The statement comes amid rising regional tensions as North Korea continues to showcase its nuclear capabilities and deepens its alliance with Russia. Despite repeated outreach from Seoul and Washington to resume dialogue, Pyongyang has remained unresponsive.
Since its first underground nuclear test in 2006, North Korea has defied multiple United Nations Security Council sanctions and is now believed to possess a growing stockpile of nuclear weapons—though it has yet to conduct an atmospheric test.
While the U.S. and its allies continue to advocate for the complete dismantling of North Korea’s nuclear program, analysts suggest Pyongyang has moved beyond any realistic consideration of denuclearization.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump once referred to North Korea as a “nuclear power” and expressed willingness to meet Kim Jong-un again, following several high-profile summits during his presidency aimed at easing tensions.
Currently, Kim appears focused on bolstering ties with Moscow. North Korea has reportedly supplied weapons and even troops to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, raising concerns in Seoul that Pyongyang could receive advanced technology or economic aid in return—further enhancing its military capabilities.
