Kim Yo Jong calls denuclearization 'idiots' — SkimNews
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- Kim Yo Jong said on Sept 17 that North Korea's nuclear-armed status is 'absolute' and 'can not reverse with anything,' calling those hoping for denuclearization 'idiots.'
- North Korea has legally enshrined its nuclear weapons state status, with leadership declaring the arsenal permanent and irreversible.
- Kim Yo Jong said the nuclear arsenal 'makes a significant contribution to deterring the outrageous acts of international rogues,' framing it as a defensive necessity.
- The statement came during the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, where Kim dismissed denuclearization talks as 'familiar silly talk.'
- Donald Trump recently said Pyongyang possesses 57 'very powerful' nuclear weapons, while Seoul estimates the arsenal at between 80 and 120 warheads.
- The North's arsenal has expanded since the 2019 Kim-Trump summit collapsed over what Pyongyang would receive in return for denuclearization steps.
Why it matters: With the 2019 Kim-Trump denuclearization track already collapsed and Seoul estimating the arsenal at 80-120 warheads, any future US-North Korea diplomacy now faces a legally entrenched nuclear state with no stated incentive to negotiate. Kim Yo Jong timed the rejection to the IAEA's Vienna conference — the world's top nuclear watchdog gathering — to publicly slam the door on talks while global nuclear policymakers were watching.
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