North Korea Says Nuclear Arsenal Is Non-Negotiable

(MENAFN) North Korea fired back Thursday against calls for its denuclearization by the foreign ministers of the United States, Australia, Japan, and India, declaring in unambiguous terms that it will never surrender its nuclear weapons program.

The rebuke targeted a joint statement issued Tuesday by top diplomats from the Quad security grouping following talks in the Indian capital New Delhi, in which the four nations reaffirmed their commitment to a denuclearized Korean Peninsula.

An unnamed spokesperson for North Korea's Foreign Ministry said the country's denuclearization "will never happen forever," according to the state-run media.

"Quad is nothing but a political and diplomatic tool serving the US strategy for unipolar domination," the spokesperson added.

The ministry "resolutely" condemned what it characterized as the Quad's hostile posture, urging the grouping to halt actions it said were eroding regional peace and stability. Pyongyang further alleged that the Quad's drive to deepen cooperation was designed to justify "Japan's moves for rearmament and Australia's possession of a nuclear submarine."

The spokesperson vowed that North Korea would press ahead in defending its sovereignty and security interests while opposing what it described as exclusive alliances and bloc confrontation across the region.

Analysts in Seoul took note of a subtle but significant shift in tone. An official at South Korea's Unification Ministry said North Korea has long viewed the Quad as a foundation for a possible Asian version of NATO and has repeatedly criticized the group. However, unlike a comparable statement issued last year that centered overwhelmingly on US criticism, this year's response broadened its fire to include Japan and Australia — and appeared to align more closely with China's strategic positions.

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