North Korea says its nuclear weapons not a ‘bargaining chip’ as Trump, Ishiba meet
North Korea said on Saturday that its nuclear weapons are not meant for negotiations but are intended for combat use against enemies that threaten its people and world peace, according to state media reports.
The statement follows a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House on Friday, where the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring North Korea ends its nuclear weapons program.
North Korea’s official news agency, KCNA, did not mention the U.S.-Japan meeting but instead cited comments by NATO and EU officials reiterating demands for North Korea’s complete denuclearization.
“We say this clearly again: Our nuclear weapons are not an advertisement to get anyone’s recognition and even less a bargaining chip to be exchanged for some money,” KCNA said in a statement.
“Our nuclear forces are for unwavering combat use to swiftly eliminate any attempts by enemy forces that infringe on our country’s sovereignty and the safety of our people and threaten world peace,” it added.
North Korea has not directly responded to Trump’s overtures to resume contact with leader Kim Jong Un and has instead emphasized its intention to “bolster” its nuclear forces.
Trump stated on Friday that he “will have relations with North Korea and with Kim Jong Un,” noting that he had a good rapport with Kim. The two leaders held historic summit meetings during Trump’s first term in office.
On January 20, during his second-term inauguration, Trump referred to North Korea as a “nuclear power,” raising speculation about whether he would pursue arms reduction talks rather than complete denuclearization negotiations.
In a joint statement issued after their talks, Trump and Ishiba expressed “serious concerns” over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and reaffirmed their “resolute commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea.”
Credit: VOA
