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North Korea nuclear programme 'absolutely non-negotiable': leader's sister | Hindustan Times North Korea's nuclear weapons programme is "absolutely non-negotiable", the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un said in a statement carried by state media on Sunday, ahead of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Pyongyang has long insisted on its right to a nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes although they are forbidden under the terms of UN Security Council sanctions. It enshrined its nuclear status in its constitution in 2023. "Our status as a nuclear power is absolutely non-negotiable," Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong said in a statement published by North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun, adding that the North "will not tolerate any threats". The statement by Kim Yo Jong, a key player in the country's communications and foreign policy, came on the eve of Xi's visit to North Korea from Monday to Tuesday, according to state media. Beijing is a vital source of political and economic support to North Korea, which is one of the most diplomatically isolated countries in the world and under heavy international sanctions. Xi's upcoming visit to Pyongyang would be his first in sev…

North Korea Says Nuclear Program 'Absolutely Nonnegotiable' North Korea Says Nuclear Program 'Absolutely Nonnegotiable' Reporter DW June 7, 2026 | 01:31 pm Share Article link copied North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. KCNA TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A day before a high-profile visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korea said it will not back down from developing nuclear weapons. "Our status as a nuclear power is absolutely nonnegotiable," Kim Yo Jong , the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un , said in comments published by the official newspaper of record, Rodong Sinmun, on Sunday. She is considered a key communications and foreign policy figure in North Korea. "The policy of continuously strengthening self-defensive nuclear war deterrence, as declared by the head of state, is an irreversible and final conclusion that must be executed unconditionally," she added. Kim orders 'exponential' nuclear buildup North Korea announced its first nuclear test in 2006 and enshrined its status as a nuclear power in its constitution in 2023. Earlier this week, North Korea unveiled a new facility to enrich weapons-grade uranium. Kim visited the site where he called for an "exponential" expansi…

North Korea nuclear programme 'absolutely non-negotiable': Kim Jong Un's sister <p>North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme is “absolutely non-negotiable”, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un said in a statement carried by state media on Sunday, ahead of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.</p> <p>Pyongyang has long <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2005144">insisted</a> on its right to a nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes although they are forbidden under the terms of UN Security Council sanctions. It enshrined its nuclear status in its constitution in 2023.</p> <p>“Our status as a nuclear power is absolutely non-negotiable,” Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong said in a statement published by North Korea’s official Rodong Sinmun, adding that the North “will not tolerate any threats”.</p> <p>A key player in the country’s communications and foreign policy, Kim Yo Jong’s statement came on the eve of <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2005375">Xi’s visit</a> to North Korea, scheduled to take place from Monday to Tuesday, according to state media.</p> <figure class='media w-full sm:w-1/2 media--right media--embed media--uneven' data-original-src='https://www.dawn.…

Why North Korea will never give up its nuclear weapons Analysis Conflict and Fragility Why North Korea will never give up its nuclear weapons 20 Mar 2018 - 18:03 Photo: (Stephan) / Flickr Back to archive Author(s): Sico van der Meer It will presumably not take long before North Korea is able to target its ‘arch-enemy’, the United States, with nuclear weapons. Will potential talks between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump be able to defuse the risks of nuclear war? Considering the motivations behind North Korea's nuclear weapons, the chances that it will denuclearize are almost zero. North Korea’s ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads will soon be able to destroy cities in the mainland of the United States. Looking at the provocative statements from Pyongyang, this may not seem a purely theoretical option. Yet, taking into account the motivations behind North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme, the risk that these weapons will be actually used by purpose is relatively low. The main risks are actually miscommunication, misperception, or domestic turmoil in Pyongyang, leading to inadvertent launch of nuclear missiles. The main motivation behind North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme, a…

North Korean Nuclear Issue: Where We Stand and What Needs to ... - Springer Abstract The North Korean nuclear issue, rooted in the historical inter-Korean confrontation and regional power struggles, continues to pose a significant challenge to East Asian security. The discussion begins by exploring the crisis’s origins, tracing them back to the post-Cold War era when opportunities for peace on the Korean Peninsula were missed. After the momentum gained at the Singapore summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un, diplomatic progress quickly declined. The Hanoi summit ended in failure, leaving both sides without an agreement. This led to a prolonged stalemate, with North Korea escalating its nuclear and missile activities amid stalled negotiations. However, resuming negotiation is essential to address the ongoing nuclear challenge posed by North Korea. To lay the groundwork for resuming negotiations, it is necessary to enhance U.S.-South Korea policy coordination, strengthen international cooperation—including engagement with major powers such as China and Russia—and build a domestic consensus within South Korea on how to handle the North Korean nuclear issue. As a detailed tact…

(Yonhap Interview) Top U.S. nuclear envoy warns N. Korea will pay ... The top U.S. nuclear envoy has stressed the need to make North Korea realize its escalation of tensions will have "consequences," while warning any nuclear attack against South Korea will be met with a "swift, overwhelming and decisive" response. In a recent exclusive written interview with Yonhap News Agency, Ambassador Sung Kim made the remarks, as tensions have flared anew with Pyongyang's botched launch of a space rocket last week. "It's important to make clear to the DPRK that its escalatory behavior has consequences," he said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "The DPRK must also understand that the only viable path forward is through diplomacy." Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have shown no signs of abating as the recalcitrant regime has hardened its rhetoric against the South and the United States, and conducted a series of weapons tests this year, including those on "underwater nuclear attack drones" and a new intercontinental ballistic missile. Kim portrayed the situation as "very challenging." "The DPRK has increasingly engaged in threatening…

North Korea nuclear programme 'absolutely non-negotiable': leader's sister - The Economic Times Reuters Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un attends wreath laying ceremony at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, Vietnam March 2, 2019. North Korea's nuclear weapons programme is "absolutely non-negotiable", the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un said in a statement carried by state media on Sunday, ahead of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Pyongyang has long insisted on its right to a nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes although they are forbidden under the terms of UN Security Council sanctions . It enshrined its nuclear status in its constitution in 2023. "Our status as a nuclear power is absolutely non-negotiable," Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong said in a statement published by North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun, adding that the North "will not tolerate any threats". The statement by Kim Yo Jong, a key player in the country's communications and foreign policy, came on the eve of Xi's visit to North Korea from Monday to Tuesday, according to state media. Beijing is a vital source of political and economic support to North Korea, which is one of the…

North Korea’s Quiet Campaign to Be a ‘Responsible’ Nuclear Power – The Diplomat https://www.byteseu.com/2121619/ In October 2025, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) – an 11-state coalition formed in 2024 to replace the now defunct United Nations Panel of Experts on North Korea …

'Absolutely non-negotiable': Kim Jong Un's sister draws a red line on North Korea's nuclear programme as Xi Jinping arrives - The Statesman Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, declared that North Korea’s status as a nuclear power is “absolutely non-negotiable.” The statement was carried by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Thursday. “Our status as a nuclear power is absolutely non-negotiable. We will not tolerate any threats,” she said. Advertisement Kim Yo Jong also said that US claims that Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump confirmed a goal to denuclearise North Korea during a May summit were “false,” adding that Pyongyang “has the most accurate information” regarding those claims. Advertisement She further stated that “the policy of continuously strengthening self-defensive nuclear war deterrence, as declared by the head of state, is an irreversible and final conclusion that must be executed unconditionally.” Timing of the statement The statement was issued on the eve of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s scheduled visit to Pyongyang , his first to the country in nearly seven years. China remains North Korea’…

North Korea protests against Seoul-EU rebuke of Russia ties North Korea protests against Seoul-EU rebuke of Russia ties Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said cooperation with Russia was an “exercise of sovereign rights”. PHOTO: REUTERS Published Jun 13, 2026, 08:40 PM Updated Jun 13, 2026, 08:40 PM SEOUL - North Korea denounced on June 13 a joint statement by South Korea and the European Union that condemned Pyongyang’s military ties with Russia throughout the Ukraine war. The statement, adopted on June 10 during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s visit to Brussels, decried the “illegal military cooperation” between Pyongyang and Moscow. “We condemn support by third parties, in particular the DPRK, which enables Russia to sustain its war of aggression against Ukraine,” the statement said, using an acronym for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in response that cooperation with Russia was an “exercise of sovereign rights”, and the joint statement was a “clear infringement on the sovereignty of our state and a grave hostile act”. The ministry’s stat…

North Korea Declares Nuclear Program 'Absolutely Non ... Security North Korea Declares Nuclear Program ‘Absolutely Non-Negotiable’ Ahead of Xi Visit Kim Yo Jong rejects denuclearization discussions as ‘false information’ while Pyongyang reaffirms commitment to expanding its nuclear deterrent 2026-06-07 12:04 North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (L) signs the guest book next to his sister Kim Yo Jong (R) during the Inter-Korean summit, April 27, 2018. (AFP) World North Korea's nuclear program ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — North Korea has reaffirmed that its nuclear weapons program is “absolutely non-negotiable,” with the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un issuing a forceful statement ahead of a closely watched visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pyongyang. Kim Yo Jong, one of the most powerful figures in North Korea's leadership and a key voice on foreign policy, said the country's status as a nuclear power could not be challenged or reversed, according to remarks published Sunday by the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper. “Our status as a nuclear power is absolutely non-negotiable,” she said, warning that North Korea “will not tolerate any threats” against its sovereignty or securit…

Former North Korean Diplomat: Denuclearization Not Likely North Korean leader Kim Jong-un looks at a rocket warhead tip at an unidentified location in this undated file photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on March 15, 2016. When it comes to the global effort to denuclearize North Korea, 2016 has been a year of bleak and uncommonly frank assessments of the likelihood of success. In October, just weeks after Pyongyang conducted its second successful nuclear test of the year, U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper admitted at an event host by the Council on Foreign Relations that getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons was “probably a lost cause.” “They are not going to do that,” Clapper said. “That is their ticket to survival. And I got a good taste of that when I was there about how the world looks from their vantage. And they are under siege and they are very paranoid.” The comments, made in the context of a question about the effectiveness of disarmament talks, deviated wildly from the White House script, forcing State Department spokesman John Kirby to insist “nothing’s changed” regarding Washington’s goal o…

North Korea nuclear weapons status 'irreversible,' state says, as US ... The United States, South Korea and Japan began joint exercises on Monday. LONDON -- North Korean officials on Monday said the country's status as nuclear state "has become irreversible," despite efforts by the West to negotiate an end to the production of those weapons, according to state media. "The position of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as a nuclear weapons state which has been permanently specified in the supreme and basic law of the state has become irreversible," North Korea's Permanent Mission to the U.N. said in a press statement, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The International Atomic Energy Agency, the intergovernmental body for nuclear cooperation, has no "legal right and moral justification" to interfere with what North Korea consider an "internal affair," the mission's press statement said. The statement on Monday was one of several anti-U.S. messages issued by North Korea that coincided with the launch of Freedom Edge 25, a joint military exercise being held by the United States, South Korea and Japan, off South Korea's Jeju Island. Those drills are scheduled to r…

(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on June 25) - Thailand Tribune Relations between South Korea and Russia have significantly deteriorated, prompted by recent mutual accusations about a military cooperation agreement between North Korea and Russia. On Sunday, South Korea reaffirmed its strong commitment to supplying arms to Ukraine if Russia provides precision weapons to North Korea. "The types of weapons we will supply to Ukraine will depend on Russia's next move," National Security Advisor Chang Ho-jin stated in an interview with KBS. Chang's comments followed a threat from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who warned that Moscow "will ... make decisions which are unlikely to please the current leadership of South Korea" if Seoul decides to send weapons to Kyiv. Putin made this statement during a meeting with reporters on Thursday in Vietnam. He also indicated that Russia might consider supplying advanced arms to North Korea. Such hostile exchanges have raised concerns, underscoring a standoff between South Korea and Russia, with each viewing the other as a potential a dversary. This tension risks pushing the Korean Peninsula at the forefront of a new cold war. Russia's recent signin…

S. Korean envoy stresses commitment to 'peaceful coexistence' on ... Members of the Security Council listen during a meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, April 14. AP-Yonhap WASHINGTON — South Korea's top envoy to the U.N. reaffirmed Seoul's commitment to "peaceful coexistence" on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization Thursday as he explained its policy to reduce military tensions and build trust with North Korea. Ambassador Cha Ji-hoon delivered a speech during a U.N. Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York, as the United States and other countries marked two years since a U.N. expert panel, tasked with monitoring the enforcement of sanctions on North Korea, was disbanded following Russia's veto of a resolution to extend its mandate. "Since the inauguration of the Lee Jae Myung administration last year, the Republic of Korea has consistently pursued a vision of a peaceful (Korean) peninsula built on reconciliation and cooperation rather than hostility and confrontation," he said, referring to South Korea by its official name. "We remain committed to respecting the DPRK system, pursuing neither hostility nor unification by absorption. In this spiri…

North Korea lashes out at US, UN watchdog for demanding ... North Korea lashed out at the U.S. and the U.N. nuclear watchdog over their push for Pyongyang’s denuclearization on Monday, insisting its nuclear status is “irreversible” after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) raised concerns about continuing enrichment activity. In a pressstatementcarried by theKorean Central News Agency(KCNA), the DPRK mission in Vienna accused Washington of a “grave political provocation” for calling its nuclear access “illegal” and repeating its “anachronistic denuclearization assertion.” “We strongly denounce and reject the U.S. provocative act of revealing once again its invariable hostile intention against the DPRK while openly interfering in its internal affairs and infringing upon its sovereignty and express serious concern over the negative consequences to be entailed by it,” the statement said. The mission claimed North Korea’s nuclear weapons help “guarantee global peace and stability” by countering “the U.S. persistent nuclear threat.” It added that the U.S., as “the world’s biggest nuclear weapons state,” is the one who undermines the nonproliferation system by building up …

Korea must not remain a bystander on the North Korean nuclear issue (KOR) Korea must not remain a bystander on the North Korean nuclear issue (KOR) Published September 23, 2025 - 9:37 a.m. President Lee Jae Myung and First Lady Kim Hea Kyung board Air Force One at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam on Sept. 22 to depart for the United Nations General Assembly. YONHAP President Lee Jae Myung described a freeze on North Korea’s nuclear program as “a kind of provisional emergency measure” and “a feasible, realistic alternative” in a recent interview with the BBC. He reiterated the three-step roadmap for denuclearization — freeze, reduction, dismantlement — that he first outlined to Japanese media last month. Lee is expected to emphasize the same approach in his keynote speech to the 80th United Nations General Assembly early on Wednesday. Halting Pyongyang’s advancing nuclear capabilities is indeed urgent. North Korea already possesses the three key components of a nuclear arsenal: fissile material such as highly enriched uranium and plutonium, triggering devices and intercontinental ballistic missiles. It appears poised to begin mass production of warheads. In that context, Lee’s idea of ga…

Facets of the North Korea Conflict - Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik Even after the summit meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Head of State Kim Jong Un in Singapore on 12 June 2018, the crisis surrounding North Korea’s nuclear programme and weapons of mass destruction programme remains one of the most dangerous and complex in the world. The conflict is centred on the unresolved tense relationship between North Korea and the USA, and in particular the issue of nuclear weapons possession. Grouped around this are other conflicts characterised by clashes of interests between China, Japan, North Korea, Russia, South Korea and the USA. In addition, within these conflicts, security policy, human rights policy and economic policy have great impact on each other. For Germany and Europe, finding a peaceful solution to the conflict – or at least preventing military escalation – is key. Europe can and should work to ensure that North Korea is treated as a challenge to global gov­ernance. Addressing the set of problems subsumed under the term “North Korea conflict” in such a way as to avoid war, consolidate global order structures, and improve the situation of the pe…

North Korea nuclear arms programme ‘absolutely non-negotiable’: Kim Jong Un’s sister | The Straits Times North Korea nuclear arms programme ‘absolutely non-negotiable’: Kim Jong Un’s sister Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments North Korea has long insisted on its right to nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, although they are forbidden under the terms of UN Security Council sanctions. PHOTO: REUTERS Published Jun 07, 2026, 06:36 AM Updated Jun 07, 2026, 05:54 PM Listen SEOUL – North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme is “absolutely non-negotiable”, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un said in a statement carried by state media on June 7 , ahead of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Pyongyang has long insisted on its right to nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, although they are forbidden under the terms of UN Security Council sanctions. It enshrined its nuclear status in its Constitution in 2023. “Our status as a nuclear power is absolutely non-negotiable,” Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong said in a statement published by North Korea’s official Rodong Sinmun, adding that the North “will not tolerate any threats”. The statement b…

North Korea Rejects U.S. Goal of Denuclearization "[Arms Control Today] has become indispensable! I think it is the combination of the critical period we are in and the quality of the product. I found myself reading the May issue from cover to cover." March 2025ByKelsey Davenport The Trump administration reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to total North Korean denuclearization, a goal that Pyongyang described as impossible and impractical. In a Feb. 15 trilateral statement, Japan, South Korea, and the United States expressed “their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearization” of North Korea and sent a “strong warning” that they will “not tolerate any provocations or threats to their homelands.” The statement was issued after a meeting in Munich with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi, and South Korean Foreign Minister Korea Cho Tae-yul. In a Feb. 18 statement in the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea accused the three states of “inciting collective confrontation and conflict on the Korean peninsula” and said that the goal of denuclearization is “outdated and absurd.” North Korea’s nuclear weapons are necess…

S. Korean envoy stresses commitment to 'peaceful coexistence' on ... Foreign affairs Copy Completed! South Korea's top envoy to the UN on Thursday reaffirmed Seoul's commitment to "peaceful coexistence" on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization, as he explained its policy to reduce military tensions and build trust with North Korea. Ambassador Cha Ji-hoon delivered a speech during a UN Security Council meeting in New York, as the United States and other countries marked two years since a UN expert panel, tasked with monitoring the enforcement of sanctions on North Korea, was disbanded following Russia's veto of a resolution to extend its mandate. "Since the inauguration of the Lee Jae Myung administration last year, the Republic of Korea has consistently pursued a vision of a peaceful (Korean) peninsula built on reconciliation and cooperation rather than hostility and confrontation," he said, referring to South Korea by its official name. "We remain committed to respecting the DPRK system, pursuing neither hostility nor unification by absorption. In this spirit, the Republic of Korea has taken proactive steps to reduce tensions and build trust with the DPRK," he added. DPR…

Denuclearization 'tantamount' to surrendering sovereignty: DPR Korea ... FacebookTwitterPrintEmail Addressing the UN General Assembly on Monday, the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea gave a muscular defence of his country’s stance on nuclear weapons, also highlighting strides towards economic development. Kim Son Gyong began his speech by commending the opening address of UNSecretary-General António Guterreson 23 September where he said that no State can address global issues alone and promising UN reform. While Mr. Kim recognised the role of the UN in promoting multilateral cooperation to address poverty, disease and sustainable development, he said that the organization also faced “unprecedented severe crises” – which he blamed on “highhandedness and arbitrariness and avarice of hegemonic powers.” “The UN cannot be represented by a certain individual state or a small group of states,” he stated. He went on to suggest that the UN “expand and strengthen the representation of developing countries that take up an absolute majority of the UN membership and to correct the Western-led inappropriate structure in theSecurity Council.” Th…