What did Choe Son-hui say in response to the G7’s call for North Korea’s denuclearization?

Choe said North Korea’s commitment to possessing nuclear weapons remained steadfast and rejected what she called the G7’s criticism of the country’s constitutional rights. She described nuclear weapons as the strongest guarantee of North Korea’s sovereign rights.

Why did Choe Son-hui accuse the G7 of applying a double standard on nuclear weapons?

Choe pointed to the United States and Britain, which she said possess nuclear weapons, while criticizing North Korea’s nuclear program. She argued that the G7 therefore had no right to find fault with or comment on other countries’ nuclear issues.

What did the G7 say about North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs?

The G7 strongly condemned the programs and reaffirmed its commitment to North Korea’s complete denuclearization in line with U.N. Security Council resolutions. Those resolutions ban Pyongyang from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

N. Korean FM slams G7 nations' call for denuclearization, says its nuclear pursuit remains 'steadfast'

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Summary

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui rejected the G7’s call for North Korea’s denuclearization on Thursday, reaffirming Pyongyang’s commitment to nuclear weapons. Her commentary followed a joint statement issued after G7 foreign ministers met in Paris earlier this week, condemning North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and citing U.N. Security Council resolutions. Choe said nuclear weapons guarantee North Korea’s sovereign rights and accused the United States and its allies of applying a double standard.

Key Facts

The G7 statement reaffirmed its commitment to North Korea’s complete denuclearization in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolutions, which ban Pyongyang from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
Choe’s commentary was carried by the Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, North Korea’s state media.
Choe argued that the United States and Britain, both G7 members, possess nuclear weapons, and said the G7 was not entitled to criticize other countries’ nuclear issues.
Choe described North Korea’s nuclear weapons possession as a legitimate exercise of sovereignty and called it evidence of the G7’s strategic failure.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 12, 2026 8:26 pm KST

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui is seen in this undated file photo. Yonhap

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui denounced Thursday a joint call from major countries for denuclearization of the regime, saying its commitment to nuclear buildup remains "steadfast."

Choe made the remarks in a commentary released by state media, after the Group of Seven (G7) advanced nations issued a joint statement following their foreign ministers' meeting in Paris earlier this week.

The joint statement strongly condemned the North's illicit nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, reaffirming their commitment to realizing the "complete denuclearization" of North Korea in accordance with U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. The UNSC resolutions ban Pyongyang from developing those weapons.

"I strongly condemn and reject the G7's vicious criticism about our state's constitutional right and reaffirm the DPRK's steadfast will for nuclear possession in the clearest terms," Choe said in the commentary, carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"Immutable is our judgment and stand that our possession of nuclear weapons is the most powerful guarantee for ensuring our national sovereign rights," she said.

Choe said the pursuit of denuclearizing the North is impossible both in theory and practice, accusing the United States and its allies of adopting a double standard as countries like the U.S. and Britain, who are among the G7 members, possess nuclear weapons.

"G7 is not entitled to find fault with or comment on other's nuclear issue," she said.

She reiterated that the North's nuclear weapons possession is a legitimate exercise of its sovereignty, saying that the fact that it is already nuclear-armed proves the G7's "strategic failure."

"Any denial of it means a denial of the truth and an open expression of hostility aimed at confrontation with the DPRK," she added.

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