North Korea has been under United Nations Security Council sanctions since 2006, with these measures consistently strengthened over time. North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son Gyong recently affirmed at the UN General Assembly that the nation will never abandon its nuclear program, describing such a demand as an attack on its sovereignty and right to existence. The official underscored that the nuclear arsenal is considered state law, national policy, and a matter of sovereign power, a position the country will maintain.
In diplomatic developments, former US President Donald Trump had previously expressed interest in meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. While past US calls for renewed direct diplomacy had largely been unaddressed by Pyongyang, North Korean state media later indicated a readiness for talks with the United States. This willingness was conditional on Washington ceasing demands for denuclearization, as North Korea asserted it would not surrender its nuclear weapons to achieve sanctions relief.
Source: indianexpress.com