Senior N.K. diplomat says Pyongyang's nuclear status can never be reversed 'in any circumstances'

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- A senior North Korean diplomat reiterated Monday that Pyongyang's status as a "nuclear weapons state" can never be reversed "in any circumstances" or "by any means," stressing that the claimed status has been "uncompromisingly and permanently fixed."

Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong made the remarks in an address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York, defending North Korea's nuclear deterrent as an "irresistible" force to defend sovereignty and security against external threats.

His remarks came a week after South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyon, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi reiterated their "resolute" commitment to the "complete" denuclearization of the North and called on the North to resume dialogue in a joint statement last week.

"The DPRK's nuclear deterrent is the absolute might and irresistible force designed from A to Z to safeguard the sovereignty, security and peace against aggression and threat from outside," he said. DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"I'd like to reiterate the official position of the DPRK government: The status of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as a nuclear weapons state that has been uncompromisingly and permanently fixed both physically and legally with absolutely no turning point, can never be reversed in any circumstances or by any means, no matter how hard and loudly the hostile forces may deny in chorus with all sorts of rhetoric," he added.

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong delivers an address to the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York on Sept. 28, 2026, in this photo captured from U.N. Web TV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Kim criticized trilateral military cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan, claiming that the risk and military threat from it "go beyond the precedent and continue to break the worst records in their scale intensity, nature and dangers, creating security instability on the Korean Peninsula."

He went on to argue that no physical conflict has occurred on and around the peninsula because Pyongyang has a "war deterrent in place powerful enough to break anyone's will to start a war of aggression against the DPRK." He was apparently referring to the North's nuclear program.

The vice minister also underscored that the North will continue to "strictly" control and manage every external threat with "overwhelming strength," noting that it is committed to its mission as a "responsible" nuclear weapons state to defend "national sovereignty" and "fundamental rights."

Moreover, Kim used the address to decry South Korea's push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines with support from the U.S.

"The U.S. has approved and (has been) encouraging Seoul's ambition to possess nuclear-powered submarines while relocating and deploying different military hardware, including the latest missiles and drones on the Korean Peninsula and in its vicinity," he said.

"The current military inclination is further aggravating the already vulnerable security landscape in the region."

The diplomat also attended last year's General Assembly, during which he stressed that Pyongyang would never give up its nuclear program "under any circumstances."

The North had not sent any high-level officials to the U.N. General Assembly for six years until 2024, following the no-deal summit between Trump and the North Korean leader in Hanoi in February 2019.

Ri Su-yong, then foreign minister, attended the Assembly from 2014-2015, while Ri Yong-ho, then foreign minister, participated from 2016 to 2018.

sshluck@yna.co.kr (END)

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Senior N.K. diplomat says Pyongyang's nuclear status can never be reversed 'in any circumstances'

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章。

华盛顿，9月28日（韩联社）——一位朝鲜高级外交官周一重申，平壤作为“核武器国家”的地位“在任何情况下”或“通过任何手段”都永远不可能改变，并强调这一地位已经“毫不妥协地永久确定”。

朝鲜外务省副相金善京在纽约联合国大会上发表讲话，称朝鲜的核威慑力量是捍卫国家主权和安全、抵御外部威胁的“不可阻挡的”力量。

在他发表上述言论的一周前，韩国外长赵显铉、美国国务卿马可·卢比奥和日本外相茂木敏充在上周的联合声明中重申了他们对朝鲜“彻底”无核化的“坚定”承诺，并呼吁朝鲜恢复对话。

他说：“朝鲜的核威慑力量是绝对的、不可阻挡的，它是从设计之初就旨在维护国家主权、安全与和平，抵御外部侵略和威胁的。”朝鲜民主主义人民共和国是朝鲜的正式国名。

“我想重申朝鲜民主主义人民共和国政府的官方立场：朝鲜民主主义人民共和国作为核武器国家的地位，无论从物质层面还是法律层面，都已毫不妥协地永久确立，没有任何转折点，在任何情况下、通过任何手段都不可能逆转，无论敌对势力如何齐声高喊各种言辞进行否认，”他补充道。

这张照片截取自联合国网络电视，显示朝鲜外务省副相金善京于2026年9月28日在纽约联合国总部向联合国大会发表讲话。（照片禁止出售）（韩联社）

金正恩批评了韩国、美国和日本之间的三边军事合作，声称这种合作带来的风险和军事威胁“超越了以往任何先例，并在规模、强度、性质和危险性方面不断打破最严重的记录，给朝鲜半岛造成了安全不稳定”。

他接着辩称，朝鲜半岛及其周边地区没有发生任何实际冲突，是因为平壤拥有“足以粉碎任何人对朝鲜发动侵略战争意志的战争威慑力量”。他显然指的是朝鲜的核计划。

副部长还强调，朝鲜将继续以“压倒性的力量”“严格”控制和管控一切外部威胁，并指出朝鲜致力于履行其作为“负责任的”核武器国家的使命，捍卫“国家主权”和“基本权利”。

此外，金正恩还在讲话中谴责韩国在美国的支持下推进核动力潜艇的采购计划。

他说：“美国已经批准并鼓励首尔拥有核动力潜艇的雄心，同时还在朝鲜半岛及其附近地区调配和部署各种军事装备，包括最新的导弹和无人机。”

“当前的军事倾向进一步加剧了该地区本已脆弱的安全局势。”

这位外交官还出席了去年的联合国大会，期间他强调，平壤“在任何情况下”都不会放弃其核计划。

在2019年2月特朗普与朝鲜领导人在河内举行无协议峰会之后，朝鲜在2024年之前六年都没有向联合国大会派遣任何高级官员。

时任外交部长的李洙墉于 2014 年至 2015 年出席了大会，而时任外交部长的李勇浩于 2016 年至 2018 年出席了大会。

sshluck@yna.co.kr（完）

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朝鲜高级外交官称，平壤的核地位“在任何情况下”都不可能逆转。