Kim Yo Jong Rejects G7 Denuclearisation Call as
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- Kim Yo Jong condemned the G7's call for denuclearisation as a violation of North Korea's constitution and an infringement of sovereignty, according to state media KCNA on Thursday.
- Kim Yo Jong declared denuclearisation an "irreversibly finalised agenda" that could never be realised, calling it "the line of no retreat that can never be crossed."
- Kim Yo Jong described North Korea's nuclear weapons as a self-defensive deterrent and a "cornerstone" for ensuring peace, framing them as a response to persistent nuclear threats from enemies.
- Kim Yo Jong warned that anyone attempting to harm the core interests of a nuclear weapons state would be "inviting disaster."
- G7 leaders issued a joint statement Wednesday after their summit expressing "deep concern" over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and reaffirming commitment to complete denuclearisation per UN Security Council resolutions.
- G7 leaders also urged North Korea to resolve the abduction of Japanese citizens and called for joint efforts to counter North Korea's cryptocurrency thefts and cybercrimes.
Why it matters: The G7's Wednesday statement explicitly tied denuclearisation to UN Security Council resolutions, meaning Kim's rejection directly defies the body that has sanctioned North Korea for years, deepening the diplomatic stalemate. By publicly framing nuclear weapons as peace-enforcing rather than coercive, Pyongyang is hardening its bargaining posture ahead of any future negotiations.
