North Korea says nuclear status 'can never be reversed,' slams US, allies' denuclearization pledge

ANKARA

North Korea declared Wednesday that its status as a nuclear weapons state is “irreversible,” condemning a joint pledge by the United States, Japan, and South Korea to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula as a “daydream.”

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said her country will never abandon its nuclear arsenal, calling it a permanent and essential component of national defense, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

“We don't care about anyone's denial and recognition, and we never change our option,” Kim stated. “This is our steadfast choice that can never be reversed by any physical strength or sly artifice.”

Her comments came in response to a joint statement issued last Thursday by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul during a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, where they reaffirmed their commitment to denuclearizing North Korea.

Kim described the trilateral pledge as the "most hostile act" and an outright denial of North Korea’s sovereignty.

She also reiterated that North Korea's nuclear arsenal plays a “key role in deterring aggression and threat from outside forces” and is vital for safeguarding national security.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid