Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, declared North Korea's nuclear status "absolute" and called those expecting denuclearisation "idiots," according to KCNA. Speaking at the IAEA conference in Vienna, she said the country's nuclear position is legally and physically irreversible and presents a defensive deterrent. The statement drew attention in Seoul because it coincided with US President Donald Trump's renewed suggestions of meeting Kim Jong Un. Diplomacy stalled after the 2019 Hanoi summit, and experts say Pyongyang has expanded its arsenal since then.
Kim Yo Jong Labels Denuclearisation Hopes 'Idiots,' Calls North Korea's Nuclear Status 'Absolute'
The sister of North Korea's leader rejected the idea of relinquishing nuclear weapons (Jung Yeon-je)
The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong, on Thursday rejected expectations that Pyongyang will abandon its nuclear arsenal, calling those who believe otherwise "idiots" and declaring the country's nuclear status "absolute" and irreversible.
Her remarks, carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), were made during the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna and framed North Korea's arsenal as both a legal and physical reality that cannot be undone.
'The DPRK's position as a nuclear weapons state is absolute which can not reverse with anything,' Kim Yo Jong said, adding that the arsenal 'makes a significant contribution to deterring the outrageous acts of international rogues.'
Kim Yo Jong dismissed repeated calls for denuclearisation as 'familiar silly talk' and said that anyone who genuinely believes those calls can succeed would only be an 'idiot,' according to KCNA. She insisted that the nuclear position of the DPRK has been "permanently settled physically and legally."
The remarks drew attention in Seoul and Washington because they coincided with renewed suggestions from US President Donald Trump that he might meet Kim Jong Un again. Trump has previously estimated that North Korea possesses dozens of nuclear weapons, and Seoul places that figure higher.
Estimates vary: President Trump said in August Pyongyang holds about 57 "very powerful" weapons, while South Korean authorities estimate the total could be between 80 and 120. Analysts note that Pyongyang has continued to expand its capabilities since the breakdown of talks following the 2019 Hanoi summit.
An official from South Korea's Unification Ministry said the statement was particularly notable given Trump’s recent comments about pursuing dialogue with North Korea. Diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang stalled after the 2019 Hanoi summit failed to produce an agreement on sanctions relief and reciprocal steps toward denuclearisation.
Implications: The blunt language from Kim Yo Jong underscores Pyongyang's entrenched stance on nuclear deterrence and complicates prospects for renewed negotiations unless one or both sides change their positions. Observers will be watching whether the comments affect any potential US–North Korea talks and how Seoul and other regional actors respond.
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