North Korea will keep its nuclear weapons “forever”, the country’s foreign minister vowed Thursday, dismissing renewed calls by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung for a denuclearised Korean Peninsula.
Pyongyang has legally enshrined its status as a nuclear-armed state, with its leadership repeatedly declaring that its nuclear arsenal is permanent and irreversible.
Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui’s remarks came a day after Lee told the UN General Assembly that he wanted to halt the further development of North Korea’s weapons capabilities and ultimately achieve a Korean Peninsula “free from nuclear weapons”.
“I reaffirm and reconfirm in the strongest tone of voice the steadfast will of our state to keep nuclear weapons through all ages,” Choe said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
North Korea’s nuclear status was “irreversible in any case and will remain unchanged forever”, she added.
“The coexistence of confrontation and dialogue may be workable for anyone, but they can never be a considerable one for the DPRK,” Choe said, using North Korea’s official acronym.
The country’s status as a nuclear weapons state was “everlasting”, regardless of what hostile forces said, she added.
At the UN, Lee — who has repeatedly sought to revive dialogue with Pyongyang — said South Korea would “lay the groundwork” for the resumption of long-stalled talks between North Korea and the United States.
Lee said last week that US President Donald Trump “clearly wants dialogue” with Pyongyang.
Trump, who met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un three times during his first term, said last month that he planned to meet him again later this year.
Separately on Thursday, Pyongyang said it had tested “updated 240-millimetre controlled multiple-launch rockets” on September 22.
KCNA said the weapons were capable of striking targets up to 115 kilometres (71 miles) away.
North Korea’s vice foreign minister is expected to address the UN General Assembly next week.
AFP
