North Korea Says NPT Not Binding, Cites Constitution
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- Kim Song told the UN at the 11th NPT Review Conference that North Korea will not be bound by the Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty under any circumstances, dismissing external pressure as groundless.
- North Korea withdrew from the NPT in 2003, has conducted six nuclear tests, and is believed to possess dozens of nuclear warheads despite multiple UN Security Council sanctions.
- North Korea’s constitution explicitly enshrines its nuclear‑armed status and pledges to strengthen its capabilities, describing the nuclear path as irreversible.
- North Korea has deployed ground troops and artillery to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, receiving military technology assistance from Moscow in return.
Why it matters: The United States and its allies lose a diplomatic lever as North Korea’s constitutional guarantee of nuclear weapons—dozens of warheads after six tests—solidifies its defiance, tightening sanctions enforcement and raising the stakes for global non‑proliferation negotiations.
