North Korea reiterates that its nuclear weapons programme is “irreversible,” ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to Pyongyang. In a statement carried by North Korean state media, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong-un, says Pyongyang’s nuclear status is an “absolutely irreversible” “red line” and that it will not tolerate threats against it. She also frames the programme as nonnegotiable, rejecting international efforts aimed at denuclearisation.
The timing is described by multiple outlets as significant: the remarks come a day before Xi’s scheduled trip, which is seen as an opportunity for China to engage Kim Jong-un. In parallel, the United States has said that President Donald Trump and Xi reaffirmed a shared goal of denuclearising North Korea during their summit in Beijing last month, according to U.S. statements cited by the outlets. North Korea’s statement challenges the denuclearisation push, with Kim Yo-jong characterising related information as false.
Overall, the reports present North Korea using the lead-up to Xi’s visit to restate its position that its nuclear programme will not be discussed or rolled back.
