Seoul reaffirms goal of denuclearizing Korean Peninsula following N.K. official's U.N. address

▲ North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong (C) departs Pyongyang for New York on Sept. 25, 2025, to attend the U.N. General Assembly, in this Korean Central News Agency photo. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

S Korea-NK denuclearization

Seoul reaffirms goal of denuclearizing Korean Peninsula following N.K. official's U.N. address

SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Tuesday reaffirmed its "consistent" goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula after a senior North Korean diplomat vowed to never give up nuclear weapons during an address at the United Nations.

"Denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula is the consistent goal of the international community, including South Korea and the United States," the foreign ministry said.

The ministry stressed that the U.N. has also been calling for North Korea to denuclearize through a series of Security Council resolutions.

Addressing a general debate of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Monday (local time), North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong reiterated North Korea's position that it will never give up its nuclear program "under any circumstances."

He said imposing denuclearization is "tantamount to demanding (North Korea) surrender sovereignty and right to existence."

The foreign ministry reaffirmed that the South Korean government has declared its three-point principle of respecting the North Korean regime, not pursuing unification by absorption and not engaging in hostile acts.

The ministry said Seoul will continue its diplomatic efforts to achieve peaceful coexistence and mutual growth through comprehensive dialogue under close coordination with the U.S.

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