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North Korean diplomat reaffirms Pyongyang will never forgo nuclear arms 'under any circumstances'

Published: 30 Sep. 2025, 10:30 Updated: 30 Sep. 2025, 19:49

YOON SO-YEON
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Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs for North Korea Kim Son Gyong addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters on Sept. 29. [AP/YONHAP]

A senior North Korean diplomat reiterated Monday that Pyongyang will never renounce its nuclear program "under any circumstances," stressing that it has stipulated its nuclear arsenal as a "sacred" and "absolute" asset that can "never be tampered with."

Still, Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong also expressed the North's openness to engaging with countries that "respect" and take a "friendly" approach toward his country. Speaking at a general debate of the UN General Assembly in New York, the speech marked the first address at the Assembly podium from a high-level North Korean official since 2018, when then Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho attended the gathering.

"We will never give up [our] nuclear [program], which is our state law, national policy and sovereign power as well as the right to existence, under any circumstances," he said. "We will never walk away from this position."

His remarks came as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has reaffirmed its commitment to the "complete" denuclearization of North Korea, although North leader Kim Jong-un has expressed openness to conditional dialogue with the United States.

Kim Son-gyong reminded the attendees that Pyongyang has codified its nuclear status in law.

North Korea's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Kim Son Gyong addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., Sept. 29, 2025. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

"In order to permanently maintain this state of balance and ensure everlasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, we have stipulated nuclear in our constitution as a sacred and absolute thing that can never be touched upon and tempered with," he said. "Imposition of denuclearization on the DPRK is tantamount to demanding it to surrender sovereignty and right to existence and violate the Constitution. We will never give up sovereignty, abandon the right to existence and violate the Constitution."

DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

In justifying its nuclear program, the diplomat denounced military exercises between South Korea and the United States, as well as trilateral drills involving Japan.

"Can we find such a place as the Korean Peninsula where the world's biggest nuclear weapon state and its allied forces conduct bilateral and multilateral war exercises year around and even stage real-war drills simulating the use of nukes targeting a sovereign state by mobilizing massive multinational combat forces and latest strategic assets?" he said.

But he left open the door for engagement with countries.

Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Son Gyong speaks during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the United Nations headquarters on Sept. 29, 2025, in New York City. [GETTY/YONHAP]

"Irrespective of differences in ideals and systems, the DPRK will promote multifaceted exchanges and cooperation with the countries that respect and take a friendly approach towards it," he said.

The vice minister's speech came as both Seoul and Washington expressed their hope to reengage with Pyongyang to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula. Speculation has persisted that Trump might seek to resume dialogue with the North Korean leader when he visits South Korea to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit set to take place in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1.

Kim Jong-un has said that he is open to engaging with the U.S. if Washington drops its demand for the North's denuclearization.

Meanwhile, South Korea has also been reiterating its efforts on the denuclearization of North Korea amid backlash from opposition that the current government's efforts seem half-hearted.

The North’s ruling party newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, reported on June 24 that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over the 12th enlarged meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party, which was held from June 21 to 23. [RODONG SINMUN]

President Lee Jae Myung speaks the Korea Investment Summit in New York on Sept. 25. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

“Denuclearization is South Korea’s national goal and a consistent objective shared by the Korea-U.S.-Japan alliance,” national security adviser Wi Sung-lac said in an interview last Saturday. “President Lee Jae Myung also views the North Korean nuclear issue as a grave and urgent crisis.”

The Lee administration's so-called END Initiative, shorten for engagement, normalization and denuclearization, has been facing criticism from the opposition for placing denuclearization at the end. Wi explained that while the order of the words may suggest denuclearization comes last, the initiative should not be interpreted sequentially.

“What urgently needs to be done now is to halt North Korea’s nuclear program,” he said. “That halting would serve as the starting point and part of the process toward denuclearization.”

BY YOON SO-YEON, YONHAP [[email protected]]