North Korea to keep nuclear weapons 'forever': foreign minister
Summary
North Korea has vowed to keep its nuclear weapons forever, rejecting South Korean calls for a denuclearised Korean Peninsula. Seoul and Washington are meanwhile exploring ways to restart stalled talks with Pyongyang as the North also says it tested updated multiple-launch rockets.
Key Points
- North Korea’s foreign minister Choe Son Hui said the country will keep nuclear weapons “through all ages” and that its nuclear status is irreversible.
- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung told the UN General Assembly he wants to stop further growth in North Korea’s weapons capability and eventually achieve denuclearisation.
- Lee also said South Korea would help create conditions for renewed dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington, while Donald Trump has said he may meet Kim Jong Un later this year.
- Pyongyang said it tested updated 240-millimetre controlled multiple-launch rockets on September 22, capable of striking targets up to 115 kilometres away.
