Seoul: Unification Minister Chung Dong-young announced Thursday that North Korea's nuclear capabilities have increased 100,000 times over the past 30 years, suggesting that the pursuit of North Korea's complete denuclearization is no longer a feasible strategy. Chung delivered these remarks at a forum, noting North Korea's continuous advancement in nuclear capabilities and its declaration of an "irreversible" nuclear status while dismissing any possibility of denuclearization discussions.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chung emphasized the unsustainability of the previous approach aimed at North Korea's complete denuclearization. In his speech at the annual Global Korea Forum, he highlighted the significant expansion of North Korea's nuclear capabilities over the past three decades, starting from 1992. He pointed out that Pyongyang was actively enhancing its nuclear programs even at this current juncture.
Chung provided evidence of North Korea's nuclear advancement by referencing the 90 grams of plutonium that Pyongyang reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1992. Additionally, he mentioned the 57 nuclear weapons figure that U.S. President Donald Trump disclosed last week as the first official estimate of the North's nuclear arsenal.
Regarding Trump's renewed diplomatic overture to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Chung remarked on the onset of a "great transformation," indicating that a "window of opportunity" for dialogue is emerging. He also underscored the South Korean government's commitment to playing an active role as a "pace maker" to facilitate U.S.-North Korea discussions.
Chung urged Seoul to make concerted efforts to initiate a four-way dialogue involving South and North Korea, the U.S., and China. His goal is to transition from the current "unstable armistice system" to a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.