N. Korea rejects IAEA resolution, vows to maintain nuclear force amid US threats

Kim Yo-jong rejected a U.N. nuclear watchdog resolution against North Korea on Saturday, saying the country will maintain the credibility of its nuclear force amid U.S. threats. The IAEA adopted the resolution at its 70th General Conference in Vienna on Thursday, reaffirming that North Korea cannot have nuclear-weapons-state status under the NPT. She accused the IAEA of double standards and serving U.S. interests. Kim also said North Korea will never surrender its sovereignty or right to security.

The IAEA resolution was adopted at its 70th General Conference in Vienna on Thursday.

The resolution reaffirmed that North Korea cannot have nuclear-weapons-state status under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Kim Yo-jong said North Korea would not mortgage its sovereignty and right to security to U.S. and Western tolerance.

She criticized the IAEA for not raising concerns about U.S. nuclear weapons deployment and sharing in Europe, extended-deterrence arrangements involving South Korea and Japan, and U.S. plans to provide nuclear submarine technology to South Korea.

Kim said ensuring that the credibility of North Korea's nuclear force is not questioned is the most important matter for national security.

Published Sep 19, 2026 9:03 am KST

Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, attends a wreath-laying ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam, March 2, 2019. AP-Yonhap

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Saturday rejected a recent resolution by the U.N. nuclear watchdog against Pyongyang's nuclear program, vowing to maintain the credibility of the country's nuclear capabilities in the face of what she called nuclear threats from the United States and others.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted the resolution at its 70th General Conference in Vienna on Thursday, reaffirming that North Korea cannot have nuclear-weapons-state status under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and calling on Pyongyang to immediately cease all related activities.

"The IAEA forcibly adopted an anti-DPRK 'resolution' that takes issue with our country's self-defensive and legitimate nuclear activities while turning a blind eye to the grave reality that our security environment is constantly exposed to external nuclear threats," Kim said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

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

Kim's statement came two days after she reiterated that her country's status as a nuclear weapons state is "absolute" and cannot be reversed.

Kim criticized the IAEA for not raising concerns over the U.S.' deployment and sharing of nuclear weapons in Europe, its extended-deterrence arrangements involving South Korea and Japan, and Washington's plans to provide nuclear submarine technology to South Korea.

Extended deterrence refers to the U.S.' commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear arms, to defend its allies.

"This is yet another representative case that lays bare the agency's extreme double standards and bias," she said.

Kim also accused the IAEA of "serving U.S. interests and lacking the authority to interfere" in North Korea's nuclear activities.

Citing what she portrayed as the U.S.' rapid expansion of its nuclear forces, overt nuclear proliferation and the IAEA's double standards, Kim claimed that the current geopolitical situation requires North Korea to make a "more responsible choice."

"We will never mortgage our sovereignty and right to security to the 'tolerance' of the U.S. and the West under any circumstances," Kim said.

"Ensuring that the credibility of our nuclear force is not questioned under any circumstances is the most important matter for national security," she added.

朝鲜首相金与正周六驳斥了联合国核监督机构针对朝鲜的决议，称朝鲜将在美国威胁下维护其核力量的信誉。国际原子能机构（IAEA）周四在维也纳举行的第70届大会上通过了该决议，重申朝鲜不能根据《不扩散核武器条约》（NPT）获得核武器国家地位。金与正指责国际原子能机构奉行双重标准，并为美国利益服务。她还表示，朝鲜绝不会放弃其主权和安全权。

国际原子能机构的这项决议于周四在维也纳举行的第70届大会上获得通过。

该决议重申，根据《不扩散核武器条约》，朝鲜不能拥有核武器国家地位。

金与正表示，朝鲜不会为了美国和西方的容忍而牺牲其主权和安全权。

她批评国际原子能机构没有对美国在欧洲部署和分享核武器、涉及韩国和日本的延伸威慑安排以及美国向韩国提供核潜艇技术的计划表示关切。

金正恩表示，确保朝鲜核力量的信誉不被质疑，是国家安全最重要的事。

发布于2026年9月19日上午9:03（韩国标准时间）

2019年3月2日，朝鲜最高领导人金正恩的妹妹金与正出席在越南河内举行的敬献花圈仪式。（美联社-韩联社）

朝鲜领导人金正恩的妹妹金与正周六拒绝了联合国核监督机构最近一项反对平壤核计划的决议，并誓言要维护朝鲜核能力的信誉，以应对她所称的来自美国和其他国家/地区的核威胁。

国际原子能机构（IAEA）周四在维也纳举行的第70届大会上通过了该决议，重申根据《不扩散核武器条约》（NPT），朝鲜不能拥有核武器国家地位，并呼吁平壤立即停止一切相关活动。

金正恩在朝中社（KCNA）发布的一份声明中表示：“国际原子能机构强行通过了一项反朝鲜的‘决议’，该决议对我国自卫和合法的核活动提出质疑，同时却对我国安全环境不断受到外部核威胁的严峻现实视而不见。”

DPRK是朝鲜民主主义人民共和国的正式名称。

金正恩发表此番言论的两天前，她重申了朝鲜作为核武器国家的地位是“绝对的”，不可逆转。

金批评国际原子能机构没有对美国在欧洲部署和分享核武器、其涉及韩国和日本的延伸威慑安排以及华盛顿向韩国提供核潜艇技术的计划表示关切。

延伸威慑是指美国承诺动用包括核武器在内的全部军事能力来保卫其盟友。

“这又是一个典型案例，彻底暴露了该机构极端的双重标准和偏见，”她说。

金正恩还指责国际原子能机构“服务于美国利益，并且没有权力干预”朝鲜的核活动。

金正恩援引她所描述的美国迅速扩张核力量、公开的核扩散以及国际原子能机构的双重标准，声称当前的地缘政治形势要求朝鲜做出“更负责任的选择”。

金正恩说：“在任何情况下，我们都不会为了美国和西方的‘容忍’而将我们的主权和安全权抵押给它们。”

她补充说：“确保我国核力量的信誉在任何情况下都不受到质疑，是国家安全最重要的事。”