Ambassador Kim Song to the UN in 2024 [AP=Yonhap News File Photo]

North Korea has protested the discussion of its nuclear weapons issue at the ongoing Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference at UN Headquarters in New York, stating, "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea's official name) is not bound by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty under any circumstances."

In a statement released through the Korean Central News Agency on the 7th, Ambassador Kim Song to the UN asserted that North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons is "the fulfillment of obligations in accordance with the Law on State Nuclear Force Policy and the state constitution, which solidifies its legal status as a nuclear-weapon state."

He claimed that North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons is legal and declared, "We strongly condemn and reject the robber-like and shameless behavior of certain countries, led by the United States, which question the reality-based possession of nuclear weapons and the exercise of inherent defensive rights as a sovereign state."

He added, "The erroneous actions of the United States and Western countries, which demand compliance with treaty obligations, are a flagrant violation of the spirit of this treaty and a complete disregard for the purposes and principles of international law."

He further pointed out, "The central task for the implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty should be to rectify the treaty violations by the United States and some countries that are shirking their nuclear disarmament obligations and engaging in proliferation activities such as providing 'extended deterrence' to non-nuclear states and transferring nuclear submarine technology."

This statement is interpreted as a jab at recent security moves by South Korea and the United States, such as the agreement to pursue the construction of nuclear-powered submarines between the two countries.

Ambassador Kim stated that the NPT conference "has lost its original mission due to the impure political intentions of the United States and Western forces, and has turned into a forum for malicious accusations against sovereign states. This is the fundamental reason why the global non-proliferation regime is weakening. We will actively contribute to the international community's efforts to guarantee international peace and security and promote global strategic stability."

The NPT, adopted by the UN in 1968, is an international commitment to curb the proliferation of nuclear weapons. North Korea declared its withdrawal from the NPT in 1993.

Member states of the treaty typically hold review conferences every five years to assess the treaty's implementation.

The 11th NPT Review Conference has been ongoing at UN Headquarters for four weeks since May 27th.

During this review conference, the South Korean government, in conjunction with the French government, also held a meeting on the theme of "'North Korean Nuclear Challenge: Upholding the Integrity of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)'."