North Korea Declares Nuclear Status “Irreversible,” Rules Out Denuclearization
united Nations – North Korea affirmed Monday, September 29, 2025, that it will not relinquish its nuclear weapons program, declaring its status as a nuclear power “irreversible.” The statement, delivered by North Korean Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs kim Son Gyong before the UN General Assembly, represents a firm rejection of international calls for denuclearization.
Pyongyang officially adopted its nuclear power status in 2022, enshrining it in its constitution the following year. According to Kim Son Gyong, demanding North Korea abandon its nuclear arsenal is tantamount to demanding it surrender its sovereignty and right to exist. “We will never give up nuclear energy, which is our national law, our national policy and our sovereign power, and also our right to exist,” he insisted.
The declaration comes amid ongoing development of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, despite severe international sanctions. The country conducted six nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017.
recent developments include a willingness, expressed last week by Pyongyang, to resume contact with the United States – contingent upon the U.S. withdrawing its demand for denuclearization.
the North Korean vice minister argued that the country’s nuclear weapons are essential for maintaining “the balance of powers in the Korean Peninsula” and ensuring “a lasting peace” in the region.
Meanwhile, South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung, also speaking last week at the United Nations, emphasized the importance of rebuilding trust with North Korea and breaking the cycle of escalating military tensions.
(MN/EFE, AFP)
