North Korea’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Son Gyong delivered a rare speech at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Monday, marking the first public appearance of a high-level North Korean diplomat at the UN since 2018.
In a 16-minute address, Kim declared that Pyongyang “will never give up nuclear, which is our state law, national policy, and sovereign power as well as the right to existence.” He warned that “under any circumstances, we will never walk away from this position,” equating any demand for denuclearization to a demand for North Korea to “surrender sovereignty and right to existence.”
Kim further described the country’s nuclear arsenal as essential for maintaining a balance of power on the Korean Peninsula, framing it as a defensive deterrent rather than an offensive weapon. While he did not dismiss diplomacy outright, Kim emphasized that any talks must be based on mutual respect and free of preconditions such as “immediate denuclearization.” The statement echoed recent comments made by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who last week suggested that dialogue with the United States might be possible if Washington dropped its preconditions.
The address marked the first North Korean presence at the UNGA since 2018, when then-Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho spoke. Analysts say Kim’s speech signals Pyongyang’s growing willingness to re-enter the international stage, particularly after solidifying a military alliance with Russia last year and improving ties with China.
The comments also come amid heightened concern from South Korea. Earlier in the week, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung told the UNGA that North Korea was nearing the capability to deploy nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. He estimated Pyongyang could produce 15–20 new warheads annually and proposed a nuclear freeze, though Kim dismissed these overtures.
North Korea, reportedly with Russian assistance, has made major strides in both nuclear and conventional weapons programs in recent years. U.S. officials under President Donald Trump have privately acknowledged that Pyongyang now has far less incentive to consider denuclearization talks than it did during Trump’s first term, when Kim Jong Un briefly pursued summit diplomacy with Washington.