North Korea denuclearization — North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui has dismissed a joint call from the United States, South Korea, and Japan for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons, stating the country’s will to keep them is “unchanged.” The statement, issued via the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Thursday, labeled the demand for denuclearization as “unrealistic.”

Choe argued that the three nations’ call for dialogue was a “deceptive trick” aimed at forcing North Korea to disarm. She asserted that Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal is a permanent and non-negotiable guarantee of its sovereignty.

The minister’s remarks underscore a continued hardline stance from North Korea, effectively closing the door on diplomatic engagement centered on denuclearization. This position presents a direct challenge to the coordinated policy of Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo.