Overview

• In a speech to the Supreme People's Assembly reported by KCNA, Kim Jong Un said Pyongyang could meet Washington only if the United States abandons denuclearization as a precondition.
• Kim declared there will "never" be denuclearization and said the North's nuclear status is constitutionally enshrined, rejecting any trade of weapons for sanctions relief.
• He dismissed South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's three‑stage proposal and ruled out engagement with Seoul, calling inter‑Korean unification "unnecessary."
• He warned that if deprived of nuclear deterrence, North Korea would inflict rapid "annihilation" on South Korea and its nearby allies.
• Kim said he holds "fond memories" of President Donald Trump, while outside reporting notes Pyongyang has strengthened ties with Russia and China to bolster leverage.