North Korea leader's sister says Pyongyang's nuclear status 'irreversible'
Seoul, June 7
The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said her country's status as a nuclear-armed state is absolutely irreversible, calling it a "line of no retreat" and vowing not to tolerate any threats against it, the North's state media reported on Sunday.
Kim Yo-jong made the remarks in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), in which she reiterated Pyongyang's position that its nuclear weapons program is nonnegotiable while rejecting international efforts aimed at denuclearisation.
"The DPRK's status as a nuclear weapons state is the line of no retreat, and it is a stark reality whether anyone recognises it or not," said the statement released Saturday, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Her remarks came a day ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled visit to Pyongyang, apparently aimed at underscoring that Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program is not subject to discussions between Xi and Kim Jong-un.
With Xi set to travel to Pyongyang, a US State Department spokesperson on Friday highlighted that US President Donald Trump and Xi had reaffirmed their shared goal of denuclearising North Korea during their summit in Beijing last month, reports Yonhap news agency.
Kim Yo-jong, who serves as a department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, dismissed the US official's comments, accusing Washington of "spreading false information," while urging the US to give up its "daydream" about denuclearisation.
She also suggested Pyongyang had received a direct explanation from Beijing regarding the discussions between Trump and Xi, saying, "We have the most accurate information about the fact."
The statement also reiterated North Korea's justification for continuing to strengthen its military capabilities, citing what it called persistent military threats from hostile countries, including Washington's recent approval of a potential sale of Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) precision bombs and related equipment to South Korea.
"This is the reason why we are concentrating on bolstering up the self-defence capacity for defending the security of the state from the ceaseless arms buildup of the hostile countries, and we will have to do this," Kim said.
Underscoring the legality of its nuclear forces under the constitution, Kim pointed to nuclear capability as the most powerful logic in the dispute with "those who worship power," adding the North will never tolerate or compromise with regard to its sovereignty and security.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The international community keeps pushing for denuclearisation, but they never address why NK feels the need for such weapons in the first place. It's like telling a scared person to just stop being scared without removing the threat. 🤷♀️
Kim Yo-jong is essentially saying 'we won't negotiate on this'—and honestly, after watching how the US treats countries without nukes (look at Iraq, Libya), I can see their logic. Sad but true reality of global politics. 😕
India has always advocated for dialogue over confrontation, but this statement from Pyongyang shows just how deep the mistrust runs. The US selling JDAM bombs to South Korea while expecting NK to disarm is peak hypocrisy. 😐
This is getting dangerously close to a new cold war in Asia. Xi visiting Pyongyang while Kim Yo-jong throws shade at US statements... India needs to be very careful about balancing relations with China, US, and its own security interests. 🇮🇳
While I understand NK's security concerns, calling nuclear status 'irreversible' is dangerous rhetoric. We saw how India's own nuclear tests were condemned but later accepted. Nuclear weapons are not a solution—they create more problems. Just look at the arms race in our region. 😔
S Sarah B