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North Korea Says It Is Not Bound by Nuclear Arms Treaty
Kim Song said North Korea’s nuclear status is fixed by its constitution and laws, while SIPRI estimates it has about 50 warheads.
On Thursday, Ambassador Kim Song declared North Korea is not bound by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty , asserting that external pressure will not alter its status as a nuclear-armed state.
The statement occurred at the 11th NPT Review Conference at United Nations headquarters, where Pyongyang faced criticism regarding its nuclear program; North Korea formally withdrew from the treaty in 2003.
Pyongyang's top diplomat stated the country's nuclear status is 'enshrined in the constitution,' transparently declaring principles of weapons use, while its arsenal path remains 'irreversible' despite external claims.
The United States and Russia hold nearly 90 per cent of nuclear weapons globally, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, with nine nuclear-armed states possessing 12,241 warheads in January 2025.
Expectations that North Korea could feature on the agenda at a planned summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next week coincide with this declaration.