Foreign Ministry: North Korea Will Never Be Recognized as a 'Nuclear-Armed' State

The government repeatedly urged North Korea to pursue 'denuclearization.' This response came after North Korea issued a statement on the 18th condemning the joint statement from the South Korea-U.S.-Japan foreign ministers' meeting, which explicitly mentioned 'complete denuclearization.'

Lee Jae-woong, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Yonhap News

Lee Jae-woong, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing that in response to related questions, "As confirmed by multiple United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, North Korea's complete denuclearization is the unified goal of the international community," adding, "North Korea will never be recognized as a nuclear-armed state."

He continued, "We once again urge North Korea to halt its illegal nuclear and missile development and provocations that threaten peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and worldwide, and to return to the path of denuclearization," adding, "We hope they realize that nuclear and missile development only undermines their own security and economic development."

Earlier that morning, the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a spokesperson's statement claiming, "(Denuclearization) is now more impossible and unrealistic, both practically and conceptually, and is an outdated and absurd plan," and asserted, "We will consistently adhere to the new nuclear force enhancement line declared by the head of state."

This was a response to the joint statement issued on the 15th (local time) by Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol of South Korea, U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio, and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi during their meeting at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Germany, which explicitly mentioned 'North Korea's complete denuclearization.'

Since the inauguration of the second term of the Donald Trump U.S. administration, North Korea has been sensitive to remarks by key U.S. officials and has issued condemnatory statements. However, high-ranking officials such as Chairman Kim Jong-un, Vice Chairman Kim Yo-jong, and Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui have not directly intervened. It is assessed that North Korea is moderating its responses, considering the possibility of future North Korea-U.S. dialogue.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson also warned regarding events held by Japanese local governments commemorating 'Takeshima Day' (the name Japan claims for Dokdo), stating, "Dokdo is clearly our territory historically, geographically, and under international law," and added, "There is no territorial dispute over Dokdo, and we will firmly and strictly respond to any unjust claims by Japan regarding Dokdo."