North Korea's Nuclear Program: Declared Non-Negotiable by Leader's Sister

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North Korea’s nuclear weapons program is “completely non-negotiable,” announced Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un, in a statement published by state media on Sunday, just before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit. Pyongyang has consistently maintained its right to develop nuclear and missile capabilities, despite international sanctions set by the UN Security Council that prohibit such programs. The country officially recognized its nuclear status in its constitution in 2023.

“Our position as a nuclear power is entirely non-negotiable,” Kim Yo Jong declared, emphasizing that North Korea “will not accept any threats.” As a key figure in the nation’s communication and foreign policy spheres, her remarks were released on the eve of Xi Jinping’s scheduled visit to North Korea from Monday through Tuesday, according to government sources.

Beijing remains a critical supporter, providing political backing and economic resources to North Korea, which continues to face international diplomatic isolation and heavy sanctions. Xi’s visit marks his first in seven years and follows recent high-level summits he held with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin last month.

Since the collapse of the 2019 summit with Trump over disagreements regarding denuclearization and sanctions relief, North Korea has steadfastly declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear state. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has further emboldened Kim Jong Un, who received significant support from Moscow after dispatching thousands of troops to aid Russian forces.

Over the weekend, Kim inspected a major munitions factory and instructed the facility to increase production capacity, according to a report by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). He cited the need to “supply an ample amount of missiles” as the reason for boosting manufacturing.

Kim Yo Jong also criticized the United States for claiming that its recent summit with Xi Jinping reaffirmed Washington’s goal of denuclearizing North Korea. She dismissed this assertion as false, stating, “Some U.S. officials remain in an outdated and fanciful dream,” and accused Washington of spreading “false information” as a routine tactic.

She dismissed U.S. efforts to challenge North Korea’s nuclear status, asserting that such efforts “hold no legal weight.” She reaffirmed North Korea’s commitment to strengthening its self-defense nuclear capabilities, describing this policy as “irreversible” and essential to implement without fail.

Expert Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification explained that Pyongyang is highly sensitive to any indication of a US-China deal regarding North Korea’s denuclearization, interpreting Kim’s statements as a categorical rejection of rumors suggesting such discussions. It’s also plausible that North Korea confirmed with Beijing during planning for recent summits that no such negotiations had taken place.