The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong, has described the country’s nuclear status as “absolute”, saying only “idiots” would expect Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons.
Kim Yo Jong made the statement on Thursday in a message carried by North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency.
North Korea has legally declared itself a nuclear weapons state, with its leadership maintaining that its nuclear arsenal is permanent and irreversible.
“The DPRK’s position as a nuclear weapons state is absolute which cannot be reversed with anything,” Kim Yo Jong said.
She said North Korea’s nuclear arsenal contributes to deterring what she called “the outrageous acts of international rogues”.
Her comments came as the International Atomic Energy Agency held its General Conference in Vienna, where she said renewed calls for North Korea’s denuclearisation were expected.
“If they believe that it is really possible, they will only hear the word of idiots,” she said.
Kim Yo Jong added that North Korea’s nuclear status had been “permanently settled physically and legally” and could not be changed by pressure from hostile countries.
South Korea monitoring statement
South Korea said it was closely monitoring the remarks, particularly because of their timing.
A South Korean Unification Ministry official said the statement was significant because US President Donald Trump had recently expressed willingness to resume dialogue with Kim Jong Un.
“We are paying close attention to Kim Yo Jong’s statement, as it comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has recently expressed his willingness to pursue dialogue with North Korea,” the official said.
Trump has repeatedly said he is open to meeting Kim again and indicated last month that he planned to hold talks with the North Korean leader later this year.
Trump met Kim three times during his first term, but their diplomatic efforts stalled after their 2019 summit in Hanoi failed to reach an agreement on sanctions relief and North Korea’s nuclear programme.
Since the failed Hanoi summit, Pyongyang has continued expanding its nuclear arsenal.
Trump said in August that North Korea had 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons, while South Korea estimates that the country possesses between 80 and 120.
