Overview

• North Korea's Foreign Ministry denounced the U.S. and its allies' push for denuclearization as 'outdated' and 'absurd,' pledging to continue strengthening its nuclear forces.
• The statement followed a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya at the Munich Security Conference, where they reaffirmed their commitment to North Korea's complete denuclearization.
• Pyongyang emphasized that its nuclear arsenal is a constitutional means of self-defense against perceived threats from the U.S. and its allies.
• North Korea has intensified its nuclear development since declaring itself a nuclear weapons state in 2022, with Kim Jong Un enshrining the buildup of nuclear forces into the country's constitution.
• South Korea unveiled a new precision-strike missile system designed to counter North Korea's long-range artillery, as regional tensions continue to escalate.