Overview

• State media said Kim told the Supreme People’s Assembly he would never give up nuclear weapons, calling the North’s nuclear status irreversible and not a bargaining chip.
• Kim ruled out engagement with South Korea, dismissed unification as unnecessary, and rejected President Lee Jae Myung’s three‑stage denuclearization proposal.
• He issued a stark warning toward Seoul, threatening devastating consequences in any conflict and invoking the possibility of annihilation, according to KCNA.
• The remarks, coming before President Trump’s planned trip to South Korea for the APEC summit, have prompted media speculation about a possible meeting, potentially at Panmunjom.
• Analysts and reports say Kim’s strengthened ties with Russia and China—including reported North Korean troops and arms support to Moscow—have increased Pyongyang’s leverage.