North Korea demands recognition as a nuclear power to resume talks with US

North Korea, through a statement by Kim Yo-chong, the sister of leader Kim Jong-un, has sent a message to the United States that it must be recognized as a nuclear power if bilateral talks between the two countries are to resume.

This demand comes at a time when relations between Pyongyang and Washington remain tense and underlines the DPRK's hardline position on its nuclear programme. According to a report by Japan's Kyodo News Agency, published on their website english.kyodonews.net, Kim Jo-chong, who is a senior official of the Korean Labor Party, told state media that "recognition of the DPRK's irreversible position as a nuclear power... should be a prerequisite for anticipating and thinking through everything in the future". With this statement, North Korea has clearly indicated that any progress in diplomatic negotiations is conditional on the US accepting its nuclear status.

An article on the website confirms the similar tone of the report NBC News from the same date. It quotes Kim Yo-chong as saying that although the relationship between Kim Jong-un and former US President Donald Trump "is not bad", the United States must accept the DPRK as a nuclear power. This stance reflects Pyongyang's long-standing strategy to legitimise its nuclear arsenal on the international stage, despite UN sanctions and criticism from the global community.

North Korea's last known nuclear test was in 2017, part of a series of tests that prompted international condemnation and tightened sanctions. Since then, the DPRK has continued to develop its nuclear program, which includes both ballistic missiles and the potential miniaturization of nuclear warheads. In her statement, Kim Yo-chong stressed that the country's nuclear status is "irreversible", signalling that Pyongyang has no intention of backing down from its nuclear ambitions.

Diplomatic talks between the US and North Korea have stalled after the failed Hanoi summit in 2019, when Trump and Kim Jong-un disagreed on the terms of denuclearisation and sanctions relief. Since then, relations between the two countries have deteriorated, with North Korea repeatedly accusing the US of "hostile policies". The demand for recognition of nuclear status may thus be another obstacle to resuming dialogue.

International analysts believe that this rhetoric is part of the DPRK's strategy to strengthen its negotiating position. "North Korea wants to be seen as an equal partner, not as a country that must be disarmed," said an expert on the Korean peninsula in an interview with NBC News. However, this stance makes the possibility of a diplomatic breakthrough difficult, as the US and its allies insist on complete denuclearisation as a condition for normalising relations.

While North Korea continues to highlight its nuclear programme, the international community remains divided on how to respond to the situation. Some diplomats have suggested a partial easing of sanctions in exchange for a reduction in nuclear activities, while others warn that any concessions could strengthen Pyongyang's position. Kim Yo-chong's statement makes it clear that the DPRK is prepared to pursue a hard line until its demands are met.

gnews.cz - GH