North Korea has reiterated that it is not bound by the global Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) firmly rejecting sustained international pressure and sanctions aimed at dismantling its nuclear weapons programme.
According to state-run media KCNA, Pyongyang maintains that its nuclear capabilities are a matter of sovereign security and will not be compromised under external influence.
North Korea’s permanent representative to the United Nations Kim Song, issued a strongly worded statement accusing the United States and several allied nations of “distorting the atmosphere” at the 11th NPT Review Conference held at the United Nations headquarters.
He argued that raising North Korea’s nuclear programme at the forum was politically motivated and undermined diplomatic discourse.
He further asserted that North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state is “irreversible and non-negotiable,” emphasizing that it will not be altered by external rhetoric, unilateral demands, or international condemnation.
He denounced what he described as “provocative and coercive actions” by certain countries, particularly the United States, which he accused of questioning North Korea’s “legitimate and defensive” nuclear posture.
North Korea initially acceded to the NPT in 1985, but formally announced its withdrawal in 2003 amid escalating tensions with the United States over allegations of clandestine nuclear weapons development. The legality and validity of this withdrawal remain a subject of ongoing international debate and legal ambiguity.
Diplomatic engagement between Washington and Pyongyang has previously taken place, notably through summits between former U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2018 and 2019. However, these high-profile negotiations ultimately collapsed due to irreconcilable differences over denuclearization demands and sanctions relief.
In recent remarks, Kim Jong Un signaled conditional openness to renewed dialogue, suggesting that talks could resume if the United States abandons its insistence on complete denuclearization as a precondition.
Intelligence assessments and expert analyses indicate that North Korea has developed an extensive network of nuclear facilities across its territory.
Some estimates suggest the country may possess sufficient fissile material to potentially produce up to 90 nuclear warheads, underscoring the scale and complexity of its nuclear ambitions.
