SEOUL: North Korea on Monday rejected repeated United States demands for its denuclearisation, accusing Washington of maintaining a hostile policy towards Pyongyang and vowing to further strengthen its nuclear capabilities.
The warning came in a statement issued by a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson and carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The spokesperson said there had been no fundamental change in Washington’s approach, pointing to the US commitment to the “complete denuclearisation” of North Korea, criticism of Pyongyang’s human rights record and planned military exercises involving the United States, South Korea and Japan.
North Korea regards such military drills as a direct threat to its security, while Washington and its allies say the exercises are intended to improve deterrence and military readiness in the face of Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes.
The North Korean official described the US policy as confrontational and accused the Trump administration of seeking to undermine the country’s sovereignty, political system and security interests.
Pyongyang determined to retain its nuclear arsenal
The statement also reaffirmed Pyongyang’s determination to retain its nuclear arsenal. The spokesperson described the country’s nuclear weapons as an “absolute guarantee” of its sovereignty and said repeated US demands for denuclearisation would not alter North Korea’s nuclear status.
The official further warned that expectations of an easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula were misplaced, saying there had been “no change” in North Korea’s policy towards the United States.
The statement comes despite recent efforts by US President Donald Trump to reduce the scale of a major annual military exercise with South Korea.
Earlier this month, Trump ordered a significant reduction in the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, citing his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He also argued that the drills were expensive and could send an unnecessarily hostile signal to Pyongyang.
Trump has expressed interest in holding another summit with Kim. The two leaders held three meetings in 2018 and 2019, but diplomatic efforts subsequently stalled amid disagreements over sanctions relief and the scope and pace of North Korea’s nuclear dismantlement.
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Despite the reduction in the US-South Korean exercises, Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader’s sister and a senior political figure, said earlier this month that the drills remained provocative and aggressive, regardless of their reduced scale and duration.
Meanwhile, the United States, South Korea and Japan are scheduled to conduct the Freedom Edge exercise from September 7 to 11. The trilateral exercise is aimed at strengthening military coordination in response to nuclear and missile threats in the region.
Pyongyang has repeatedly condemned Freedom Edge, arguing that increased military cooperation among the three countries contributes to tensions and poses a threat to regional security.
North Korea’s latest statement underscores the difficulty facing Washington as it seeks to revive direct diplomacy with Pyongyang while continuing to demand an end to the North’s nuclear weapons programme.
