A senior North Korean official criticizes ASEAN after the bloc urged steps toward a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. Reports say ASEAN, during its annual regional forum last week, expressed “grave concern” over Pyongyang’s ongoing nuclear weapons development and emphasized the need for dialogue to achieve “lasting peace and stability in a denuclearised Korean Peninsula.” In response, North Korea rejects the call, saying it is “stupid and foolish.” The official also reiterates Pyongyang’s long-standing position that it has the right to develop nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, which it frames as part of its national policy. Under UN Security Council resolutions, those nuclear and ballistic missile activities are prohibited for North Korea, a point noted in the reporting. The dispute reflects the broader international tension over North Korea’s nuclear program and the role of regional and diplomatic engagement in addressing it. The available accounts focus on North Korea’s reaction to ASEAN’s forum statements rather than on any new ASEAN measures or additional North Korean actions beyond the criticism.