Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has sharply rejected renewed US calls for the denuclearisation of North Korea, describing them as an “anachronistic dream” and reiterating Pyongyang’s commitment to expanding its nuclear arsenal. In a statement released on Sunday, Kim Yo Jong said the United States had no legal or political authority to challenge North Korea’s status as a nuclear weapons state.

She argued that Washington’s position was based on unilateral rhetoric that, in her view, would not bind or influence Pyongyang’s strategic decisions. Her comments came a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit North Korea for high-level talks with Kim Jong Un, marking his first trip to the country in seven years. The visit is being closely watched by regional observers as a potential signal of shifting diplomatic alignments in Northeast Asia.

Kim Yo Jong also dismissed reports suggesting that US President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping had recently discussed a shared objective of denuclearising North Korea during a summit in Beijing. She labelled such claims as false information and accused US officials of maintaining what she called unrealistic expectations about the Korean Peninsula.

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North Korea has continued to expand its nuclear and missile programmes in recent years, particularly after the collapse of high-profile diplomacy between Kim Jong Un and the United States in 2019. The country has since intensified weapons development, with state media reporting calls from Kim for a significant increase in missile production capacity under a five-year plan.

During a recent visit to a weapons facility, Kim Jong Un reportedly directed officials to expand missile output substantially, reinforcing Pyongyang’s stated focus on strengthening its “nuclear deterrent.” Analysts say North Korea’s leadership is seeking formal recognition as a nuclear-armed state in order to push for sanctions relief and greater international legitimacy.

The latest remarks from Kim Yo Jong come amid deepening geopolitical realignments, with North Korea strengthening ties with Russia while China seeks to maintain its influence in the region. Xi’s upcoming visit is expected to focus on economic cooperation and regional stability, though analysts believe denuclearisation is unlikely to be directly addressed during the talks.

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