North Korea on Sunday strongly rejected US claims that Washington and Beijing share the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, reaffirming its status as a nuclear-armed state a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s scheduled visit to Pyongyang.Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korea’s leader
Kim Jong Un
A statement carried by the North’s Korean Central News Agency said that US assertions that denuclearization was emphasized during the recent China-US summit are “complete fabrication and false information.”She said North Korea would never discuss what she called its “fundamental sovereignty and security,” adding that the country’s nuclear weapons status was enshrined in its constitution and could not be undone by what she described as unilateral American rhetoric.“The policy of constantly strengthening deterrence in self-defense nuclear war, as declared by the head of state, is an irreversible final outcome that must be implemented unconditionally,” Kim said, dismissing denuclearization as an “outdated dream.”Her comments came as Pyongyang criticized recent military activities of the United States and South Korea, including Washington’s approval of arms exports to South Korea.
Kim accused the United States and its allies of undermining regional security through weapons mobilization and military exercises that include nuclear-capable forces.North Korea has repeatedly cited such actions as justification for expanding its nuclear arsenal, arguing that it faces persistent external threats. Kim said that his country would not remain a “passive spectator” if what it called the regional balance of power was destabilized.The statement was issued a day before Xi is expected to visit North Korea for talks with Kim Jong Un, his first visit to the country in nearly seven years. Analysts cited by the Associated Press said the visit is likely aimed at strengthening China’s influence over Pyongyang, while avoiding direct pressure on denuclearization.North Korea has focused on expanding its nuclear capabilities since the collapse of high-stakes diplomacy between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump in 2019.
In recent days, state media reported that Kim Jong Un visited nuclear materials and weapons factories, calling for an “accelerated” expansion of nuclear forces and a sharp increase in missile production capacity.Reuters reported that Kim Yo Jong said North Korea will not tolerate threats and will never back down from its nuclear status, reiterating that US claims about denuclearization discussions involving China are false.North Korea has increasingly sided with Russia in recent years, including by providing troops and conventional weapons for Moscow’s war in Ukraine, according to South Korean and American officials cited by the AP. The officials said Pyongyang received economic and other assistance from Russia in return.