North Korea has reaffirmed that it will never relinquish its nuclear arsenal, describing it as a core element of its sovereignty and survival.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Kim Son Gyong said nuclear weapons were enshrined in the country’s constitution as “a sacred and absolute thing that can never be touched upon and tampered with.”
He argued that imposing denuclearisation on Pyongyang would be “tantamount to demanding it to surrender sovereignty.”
Kim defended his country’s stance by pointing to the alliance between the United States, Japan, and South Korea, which he said could “rapidly evolve into a more offensive and aggressive military bloc.”
He maintained that North Korea’s military deterrent has contained any attempt by its rivals to provoke war.
The vice minister also highlighted domestic economic progress, noting that the country’s five-year plan was nearing completion, with 50,000 new homes under construction in Pyongyang and a rural development policy producing “tangible results.”
On foreign policy, Kim accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza and pledged that North Korea would deepen cooperation with nations that treat it with respect.
