In a striking escalation, Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a firm statement on Monday, July 29, 2025, categorically rejecting any discussion of denuclearization unless the United States first recognizes North Korea as a “fully-fledged nuclear state.” She added that while the personal relationship between Trump and her brother is "not bad," it in no way justifies giving up the country’s nuclear arsenal or returning to talks under Washington’s current terms.
The remarks came in response to recent U.S. reports suggesting that Trump may be open to resuming nuclear negotiations with Pyongyang. However, Kim made it clear that such overtures are nothing more than "American delusions" if not preceded by a complete shift in the U.S. stance. She described the insistence on the old denuclearization model as “a political farce divorced from today’s reality.”
She stated: “The United States must come to terms with a new reality: North Korea is now a nuclear power that cannot be ignored. Any attempt to deny this fact will only lead to a dead end.” Kim emphasized that Washington must abandon its outdated expectations if it hopes to salvage any chance of dialogue.
Kim Yo-jong’s comments leave no doubt that North Korea no longer views negotiations as a means of surrendering its nuclear program, but rather as a platform to force international recognition of it. This stance places the Trump administration—should he return to the White House—in a complex diplomatic bind: either acknowledge North Korea’s nuclear status or face continued diplomatic isolation on the Korean issue.
Her statement follows months of intensified missile testing and intelligence reports indicating rapid progress in North Korea’s nuclear capabilities. Although some U.S. officials claim dialogue remains on the table, Pyongyang has now set harsher conditions than ever before, making the prospect of meaningful negotiations in the near future increasingly unlikely.
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