The Straits Times reports today: "Over the past two days, North Korea's Foreign Ministry has issued three statements in succession, reiterating that its status as a nuclear-armed state is irreversible and rejecting any form of denuclearization demands. Analysts believe that against the backdrop of deepening relations between North Korea and Russia, and warming ties with China, North Korea is seizing this opportunity to solidify its position as a nuclear weapons state, while mounting a direct counterattack against South Korea, the United States, and Western efforts to push for denuclearization."
Additionally, yesterday U.S. President Trump posted on a social media platform a photo from 2018 showing him walking side by side with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their first summit meeting in Singapore, without any accompanying explanation. Coinciding with the eighth anniversary of the inaugural U.S.-North Korea summit, the move has drawn intense international attention. Analysts suggest that Trump still regards the U.S.-North Korea summits as a significant diplomatic achievement, and this gesture may also serve as a signal for potentially reviving high-level diplomatic engagement between the two countries in the future.
Commentary: North Korea’s consecutive hardline statements are cementing its nuclear posture, reflecting a fundamental shift in its national security strategy—no longer treating nuclear capability as a bargaining chip to be traded for concessions, but rather viewing it as the cornerstone of long-term survival and strategic deterrence. The deepening of relations between North Korea and Russia, as well as improved ties with China, has provided North Korea with a more stable external security and diplomatic environment, giving it greater confidence to confront pressure from South Korea, the United States, and the West regarding denuclearization, and emboldening it to openly reject the feasibility of denuclearization. On the other hand, Trump’s re-posting of an old photo from the U.S.-North Korea summit appears to signal openness to dialogue, but the strategic premises on both sides have fundamentally changed: the U.S. still finds it difficult to accept permanent nuclear status for North Korea, while North Korea has already rejected the denuclearization framework altogether, leaving little room for compromise on core issues. Meanwhile, ongoing joint military exercises and extended deterrence cooperation between South Korea and the United States continue to squeeze North Korea’s sense of security, further reinforcing Pyongyang’s determination to expand its nuclear arsenal.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868016649751947/
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