North Korea declares nuclear status irreversible ahead of Xi visit
North Korea doubled down on its nuclear weapons program early Sunday, defiantly declaring its "nuclear status" as absolute and irreversible just ahead of a highly anticipated state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Kim Yo-jong, the powerful and influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a sharp statement via state media, asserting that the country's position as a nuclear-armed state is completely "nonnegotiable." Her remarks firmly reject ongoing international diplomatic efforts aimed at dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.
The high-stakes political messaging comes as President Xi prepares to arrive in Pyongyang on Monday for a two-day state visit—his first trip to North Korea in seven years. The visit closely follows a series of high-profile summits Xi held in Beijing last month with both the Russian and U.S. presidents.
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Following those meetings, the White House stated that Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump had reaffirmed a shared commitment to the ultimate denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. While Beijing has kept the exact details of those discussions under wraps, Chinese officials noted that China is working in "its own way" to navigate a diplomatic and "political settlement" regarding North Korea's nuclear capabilities.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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