North Korea rejects IAEA criticism over nuclear programme

North Korea has declared its nuclear status irreversible after the UN atomic agency criticised its weapons programme. Kim Yo Jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong Un, accused the International Atomic Energy Agency of applying double standards.

The IAEA adopted a resolution against Pyongyang, which Kim Yo Jong criticised in a statement in state media KCNA. She said the agency had turned a blind eye to the "blatant nuclear proliferation activities" of the United States and South Korea's "nuclear submarine introduction plan", while forcibly adopting a resolution against North Korea's "self-defensive and legitimate nuclear activities".

According to KCNA, North Korea's foreign ministry also dismissed the resolution, declaring that its status as a nuclear power is irreversible and backed by its nuclear deterrent. KCNA also reported that Kim Jong Un carried out a three-day inspection tour of major munitions factories this week.

Brief written by urgent.news from Daily Times, Dawn, Asia Times — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.