Key facts
- North Korea states denuclearization is irreversibly finalized.
- North Korea condemns U.S.-South Korea nuclear deterrence talks.
- North Korea asserts its status as a nuclear weapons state.
- Kim Yo Jong states North Korea's nuclear program is nonnegotiable.
- Kim Yo Jong states North Korea will continue to expand its arsenal.
- Kim Yo Jong dismisses U.S. denuclearization efforts as an anachronistic dream.
- North Korean declarations precede Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit.
- The UN's political chief visited North Korea for four days.
- The UN's political chief urges de-escalation on the Korean Peninsula.
- The UN political chief's visit concluded on Saturday.
North Korea has asserted that denuclearization is an irreversibly finalized matter and that its nuclear weapons status is nonnegotiable, vowing to continue expanding its arsenal. A spokesperson for the North Korean foreign ministry condemned recent nuclear deterrence talks between the U.S. and South Korea, stating that U.S. rhetoric and cooperation in posing a nuclear threat cannot alter North Korea's status as a nuclear weapons state. Kim Yo Jong echoed these sentiments, describing North Korea's nuclear program as "absolutely nonnegotiable" and dismissing U.S. denuclearization efforts as an "anachronistic dream." These strong declarations come ahead of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.