North Korea Demands US Recognize Irreversible Nuclear Status Before Talks

North Korea, led by Kim Yo Jong, has firmly stated that the United States must recognize its status as a permanent and irreversible nuclear weapons state before any new talks with President Donald Trump can occur. Kim Yo Jong emphasized that the geopolitical environment and North Korea's nuclear capabilities have drastically changed since the historic summits between Trump and Kim Jong Un from 2018 to 2019, making previous denuclearization demands obsolete and viewed as disrespectful. Despite acknowledging that personal relations between Trump and Kim Jong Un are "not bad," she warned that attempts to use this relationship to pressure denuclearization would be considered a mockery. North Korea insists that without acceptance of this new reality, future diplomatic meetings will remain mere hopes for the U.S. side, signaling a firm stance against abandoning its nuclear arsenal. The White House continues to express willingness for dialogue aiming at a fully denuclearized North Korea, but Pyongyang demands a shift in approach that acknowledges its nuclear deterrent as permanent. This deadlock reflects the ongoing challenge in U.S.-North Korea relations, where past summits achieved unprecedented engagement but failed to produce substantive denuclearization progress.