North Korea says nuclear status 'irreversible' after UN atomic agency rebuke

North Korea's powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, accused the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of double standards following an unfavorable resolution on Saturday. Yo Jong expressed her frustration in a statement, stating that the IAEA's biased viewpoint and double standards were the fundamental reason for the collapse of the international nuclear non-proliferation system.

She claimed that the agency had ignored the "blatant nuclear proliferation activities" of the United States and South Korea's nuclear submarine introduction plan, while forcefully adopting a resolution against North Korea's self-defensive and legitimate nuclear activities.

The North Korean foreign ministry separately dismissed the resolution, asserting that its status as a nuclear power is irreversible and backed by its nuclear deterrent. Additionally, KCNA reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had carried out a three-day inspection tour of major munitions factories during the week. Kim announced that North Korea's efforts to modernize all components of its defense capability were leading to a significant change in the composition and means of its armed forces, according to KCNA.

Experts suggest that North Korea has been modernizing its military with Russian assistance since the two nations signed a mutual defense treaty in 2024. They also believe that the combat experience gained by Pyongyang's troops deployed in Ukraine has contributed to the modernization efforts. Kim further delivered a lecture on Friday to a propaganda workers' training session in Pyongyang, emphasizing that modern "ideological warfare" should be innovative, creative, and aggressive, rather than relying on outdated methods.