North Korea has rejected renewed calls for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula by the foreign ministers of the United States, South Korea, and Japan, declaring that denuclearization is “irreversibly and permanently dead.” Pyongyang also accused the three countries of fueling regional instability and claimed that South Korea and Japan are pursuing nuclear armament under U.S. protection.
In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on July 24, a spokesperson for North Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the recent ASEAN-related foreign ministers’ meetings held in Manila, Philippines.
“The United States and several countries following its lead have turned the ASEAN platform into a venue for justifying their hostile intentions, inciting division and confrontation, and escalating regional tensions,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson specifically criticized remarks made by the foreign ministers of the United States, Japan, and South Korea regarding North Korea’s denuclearization and freedom of navigation.
“The repeated references to the denuclearization of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and discussion of the Taiwan Strait under the pretext of ‘freedom of navigation’ demonstrate that the U.S., Japan, and South Korea are the true source of regional instability and the primary obstacle to peace,” the statement said.
North Korea further argued that efforts by the three countries to deny what it described as the country’s constitutional rights cannot revive an issue that has already been permanently settled.
“The futile attempts by the U.S., Japan, and South Korea to deny and infringe upon the DPRK’s constitutional rights cannot revive the irreversibly discarded issue of denuclearization,” the spokesperson said. “Nor can they alter the new regional balance of power that has emerged based on our country’s current status.”
The statement also accused the United States of creating exclusive security and economic blocs that threaten regional and global stability.
It further alleged that the greatest threat facing the region is “the nuclear armament ambitions of Japan and South Korea,” claiming both countries are systematically undermining the global nuclear non-proliferation regime with active U.S. backing.
While expressing support for ASEAN’s principles of sovereignty, equality, and non-interference, North Korea argued that Southeast Asia should not become subordinate to U.S. security interests.
“Southeast Asia must never become a region subordinated to America’s agenda of ‘security and prosperity,'” the spokesperson said. “The ASEAN platform should not become a venue for criticizing other countries or promoting hostility.”
North Korea added that it will continue promoting regional peace and cooperation based on mutual benefit while taking firm action against what it called hostile forces seeking to infringe upon its sovereign rights.
Earlier this week, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya met in Manila and reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The three ministers also agreed to maintain close coordination on North Korea policy, strengthen deterrence, pursue dialogue and diplomacy to preserve peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and discuss broader regional issues, including the South China Sea and economic security cooperation.