North Korea has rejected calls for its denuclearization following discussions at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna, declaring that its status as a nuclear weapons state is “absolute” and cannot be reversed.
The statement was made by Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in response to discussions at the IAEA's 70th regular session, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim Yo Jong dismissed calls for North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programme, describing the discussions as “familiar silly talk.” She maintained that Pyongyang's position as a nuclear weapons state could not be changed by international meetings or demands.
“The DPRK's position as a nuclear weapons state is absolute, which cannot reverse with anything,” she said, using the official name of North Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The comments came after the IAEA General Conference expressed concern over the expansion of North Korea's nuclear capabilities. The gathering urged Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons programme in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and to comply with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The IAEA has long monitored developments related to North Korea's nuclear programme and has repeatedly raised concerns about the country's continued development of nuclear and missile capabilities.
Kim Yo Jong rejected the latest calls, saying they represented nothing new in the international community's approach to North Korea.
“All noises, not surprising and not new,” she said, referring to the discussions and calls for denuclearization.
She argued that repeated meetings by the IAEA and Western countries would have no impact on North Korea's determination to maintain its nuclear capabilities.
“No matter how desperately the IAEA and the West may hold periodic meetings and talk about the denuclearization according to the fixed scenario, they can have no effect on the will and ability of the DPRK to take all necessary measures to defend the supreme interests of the state,” Kim Yo Jong said.
Her statement reflects Pyongyang's longstanding position that its nuclear weapons programme is essential to the country's national security. North Korea has repeatedly rejected international demands for unilateral denuclearization and has instead presented its nuclear capabilities as a means of protecting the country against perceived external threats.
Kim Yo Jong further claimed that North Korea's nuclear status had become permanently established both physically and legally.
“The reality in which the nuclear position of the DPRK has been permanently settled physically and legally cannot change even a bit,” she said.
She also asserted that the country's strengthened military and nuclear position could not be reversed by international pressure.
“No one and nothing can ever reverse the crucial changes in the strength and position of the DPRK and prevent them in the future too,” she added.
The disagreement highlights the continuing gap between North Korea's position and that of the international nuclear non-proliferation system. The IAEA and other international actors continue to call for the dismantling of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, while Pyongyang maintains that its nuclear capabilities are necessary for its national interests and security.
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which forms a central part of the global nuclear non-proliferation framework, seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons while promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy and pursuing nuclear disarmament. The international community has repeatedly called for North Korea to comply with relevant international obligations and abandon its nuclear weapons programme.
North Korea, however, has continued to reject such demands and has maintained that its nuclear and military capabilities are central to its defence strategy.
Kim Yo Jong's latest comments therefore signal that Pyongyang remains opposed to the denuclearization approach advocated by the IAEA and Western governments. Her statement also indicates that North Korea sees continued international pressure as unlikely to alter its stated nuclear policy.
The remarks were issued as the IAEA General Conference brought renewed international attention to North Korea's expanding nuclear capabilities, keeping the country's nuclear programme at the centre of ongoing global security and non-proliferation discussions.
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