North korea: On Sunday, North Korea declared denuclearization as an "irreversibly finalized" issue, in response to recent discussions between South Korea and the United States that emphasized the aim of denuclearizing North Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, an unnamed spokesperson from North Korea's foreign ministry criticized the reaffirmation of this goal made during the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group meeting held on Thursday by South Korea and the United States. The spokesperson described the dialogue as "unreasonable" and a "fantastic daydream" concerning the disarming of North Korea's nuclear arsenal.
The statement, disseminated by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), highlighted that efforts by the U.S. and its allies to pose a nuclear threat and engage in rhetoric against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) would not alter North Korea's established status as a nuclear weapons state. The spokesperson emphasized that denuclearization discussions are futile, as the matter is considered irrevocably concluded by the DPRK.
The spokesperson further expressed concerns regarding the recent Extended Deterrence Dialogue between the United States and Japan, where both nations reiterated their dedication to the "complete denuclearization" of North Korea. The spokesperson asserted that no amount of discourse from the U.S., Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ROK) would influence North Korea's current stance as a nuclear power.