S. Korea 'strongly' condemns N. Korea's vow to strengthen nuclear shield

▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) inspects a nuclear-material production base with officials, in this photo published by the Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 29, 2025. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

S Korea-NK nuclear

S. Korea 'strongly' condemns N. Korea's vow to strengthen nuclear shield

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The unification ministry on Friday "strongly" condemned North Korea for pledging to strengthen the "nuclear shield" while disclosing its leader Kim Jong-un's visit to a uranium enrichment facility.

Kim inspected a nuclear-material production base and a nuclear weapons institute, stressing that bolstering the nuclear shield is "indispensable" to counter its hostile countries, according to state media Wednesday.

It marked the first time that the North has disclosed what's presumed to be a uranium enrichment facility since its similar revelation last September.

Seoul's unification ministry "strongly" condemned the North's move, stressing that the international community will never accept Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal.

"South Korea and the United States as well as the international community have held a firm and concurred posture about the goal of North Korea's complete denuclearization," Kim In-ae, deputy spokesperson at the ministry, told a press briefing.

She called on North Korea to immediately stop its nuclear development program and accept Seoul's offer for denuclearization talks.

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