North Korea says denuclearization should apply to U.S., allies before Pyongyang

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hye-kyung (right) pose with leaders and spouses from participating countries during an official welcome dinner hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Türkiye on July 7, 2026. Courtesy of the Turkish Presidency

SEOUL, July 11 (AJP) - North Korea on Saturday rejected renewed calls for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, arguing that the concept should instead be applied first to the United States, its Asian allies and NATO members.

In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, a spokesperson for North Korea's Foreign Ministry said calls by South Korea, the United States and Japan for Pyongyang's denuclearization had "completely lost their relevance and realistic possibility" and would have no impact on the country's status.

“The concept of denuclearization should first be applied to Japan and South Korea’s attempts to pursue their own nuclear armament under the active protection of the United States, as well as to NATO members’ pursuit of nuclear confrontation under the U.S. nuclear-sharing framework,” the spokesperson said.

The statement appeared to be a response to discussions of the North Korean threat during the recent NATO summit in Ankara, Türkiye, as well as a trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of South Korea, the United States and Japan held on the sidelines of the summit.

At their meeting on Monday, the three countries agreed to maintain close coordination on North Korea policy, including efforts to counter Pyongyang's illicit cyber activities, and reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula while working to preserve peace and stability.

The North also criticized NATO, saying the alliance should have "ceased to exist with the end of the Cold War."

It accused NATO of systematically worsening Europe's security environment, shifting responsibility onto other countries and extending instability into the Asia-Pacific region through its "provocative actions."

Echoing Russia's narrative on the war in Ukraine, the ministry also accused NATO of undermining European security through its eastward expansion and support for what it called "neo-Nazi forces."

The spokesperson further argued that what Pyongyang described as the reckless behavior of "confrontational forces" was creating "a destructive threat" to the global security order and providing justification for North Korea to continue strengthening its military deterrence.