North Korea says U.S. denuclearization push will not weaken its nuclear arsenal

Trilateral drills proceed Sept. 7-11 despite North Korean condemnation

A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday accused Washington of pursuing a “denuclearization” racket and a “human rights” smear campaign against the DPRK, in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK, is North Korea’s official name.

The spokesperson alleged that “the Trump administration has thus fully reconfirmed its invariable hostile policy to wantonly violate the sovereignty, political system and security interests of the DPRK through the ‘denuclearization’ racket, ‘human rights’ smear campaign and military threat.”

The statement asserted that “it is pointless to expect any detente in the region.” It also declared that “there is no change in our policy toward the U.S. to respond to its invariable hostile policy with the toughest stand to the last.”

Trump has sought to reopen direct engagement with Kim, with whom the U.S. president has said he maintains a “very good relationship.” Earlier this month, Trump ordered Seoul and Washington to curtail their joint Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise, citing the drills’ cost and saying they sent an “inappropriate and hostile” signal to Pyongyang. The exercise was subsequently shortened by almost a week.

Despite Trump’s order to curtail the Ulchi drills, the U.S. State Department last week reaffirmed its commitment to the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea in a statement to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean wire service.

The United States, South Korea and Japan also confirmed last week that their annual Freedom Edge trilateral military exercise will be held Sept. 7-11 in international waters east and south of South Korea’s Jeju Island. The North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson called the multi-domain exercise a “threat to the DPRK and regional countries.”

North Korea routinely denounces joint military drills as rehearsals for an invasion and has carried out weapons tests around major allied exercises.

The spokesperson said North Korea’s nuclear status, which has been enshrined in its constitution, could not be “weakened nor diluted” by repeated U.S. calls for denuclearization. “Our nukes serve as an absolute guarantee for defending its sovereignty and the nuclear weapons in possession of the DPRK and their sustained bolstering are the most responsible and correct option for ensuring regional peace and security,” the statement said.