What did Kim Yo-jong say about North Korea's nuclear status after the IAEA resolution?

Kim Yo-jong said North Korea's nuclear status is absolute and cannot be reversed. She described the IAEA resolution as anti-DPRK and said the country will maintain the credibility of its nuclear force.

Why did Kim Yo-jong criticize the IAEA over North Korea's nuclear program?

She accused the agency of ignoring what she called the grave reality of external nuclear threats to North Korea. She said it showed double standards by not addressing U.S. nuclear deployments in Europe, extended deterrence involving South Korea and Japan, and U.S. plans for nuclear submarine technology to South Korea.

What did Kim Yo-jong say North Korea would do in response to U.S. pressure and the IAEA resolution?

Kim said North Korea will never mortgage its sovereignty and right to security to the tolerance of the United States and the West. She added that making sure its nuclear force is credible under any circumstances is the most important national security matter.

N. Korea rejects IAEA resolution, vows to maintain nuclear force amid US threats

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Summary

Kim Yo-jong rejected a U.N. nuclear watchdog resolution against North Korea on Saturday, saying the country will maintain the credibility of its nuclear force amid U.S. threats. The IAEA adopted the resolution at its 70th General Conference in Vienna on Thursday, reaffirming that North Korea cannot have nuclear-weapons-state status under the NPT. She accused the IAEA of double standards and serving U.S. interests. Kim also said North Korea will never surrender its sovereignty or right to security.

Key Facts

The IAEA resolution was adopted at its 70th General Conference in Vienna on Thursday.
The resolution reaffirmed that North Korea cannot have nuclear-weapons-state status under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Kim Yo-jong said North Korea would not mortgage its sovereignty and right to security to U.S. and Western tolerance.
She criticized the IAEA for not raising concerns about U.S. nuclear weapons deployment and sharing in Europe, extended-deterrence arrangements involving South Korea and Japan, and U.S. plans to provide nuclear submarine technology to South Korea.
Kim said ensuring that the credibility of North Korea's nuclear force is not questioned is the most important matter for national security.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 19, 2026 9:03 am KST

Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, attends a wreath-laying ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam, March 2, 2019. AP-Yonhap

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Saturday rejected a recent resolution by the U.N. nuclear watchdog against Pyongyang's nuclear program, vowing to maintain the credibility of the country's nuclear capabilities in the face of what she called nuclear threats from the United States and others.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted the resolution at its 70th General Conference in Vienna on Thursday, reaffirming that North Korea cannot have nuclear-weapons-state status under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and calling on Pyongyang to immediately cease all related activities.

"The IAEA forcibly adopted an anti-DPRK 'resolution' that takes issue with our country's self-defensive and legitimate nuclear activities while turning a blind eye to the grave reality that our security environment is constantly exposed to external nuclear threats," Kim said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim's statement came two days after she reiterated that her country's status as a nuclear weapons state is "absolute" and cannot be reversed.

Kim criticized the IAEA for not raising concerns over the U.S.' deployment and sharing of nuclear weapons in Europe, its extended-deterrence arrangements involving South Korea and Japan, and Washington's plans to provide nuclear submarine technology to South Korea.

Extended deterrence refers to the U.S.' commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear arms, to defend its allies.

"This is yet another representative case that lays bare the agency's extreme double standards and bias," she said.

Kim also accused the IAEA of "serving U.S. interests and lacking the authority to interfere" in North Korea's nuclear activities.

Citing what she portrayed as the U.S.' rapid expansion of its nuclear forces, overt nuclear proliferation and the IAEA's double standards, Kim claimed that the current geopolitical situation requires North Korea to make a "more responsible choice."

"We will never mortgage our sovereignty and right to security to the 'tolerance' of the U.S. and the West under any circumstances," Kim said.

"Ensuring that the credibility of our nuclear force is not questioned under any circumstances is the most important matter for national security," she added.

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