Blue House Reaffirms Goal of North Korean Denuclearization Amid Pyongyang's Backlash

Responding to North Korea's protest against the South Korea-US reaffirmation of the denuclearization goal, the Blue House stated on the 14th that "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is a consistent goal of the international community."

The South Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) held its 6th meeting in Seoul on the 11th and issued a joint press statement that "reaffirmed the common goal of denuclearizing North Korea."

North Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticized the joint press statement as "absurd and a vain delusion to speak of disarming the enemy state," and asserted that their current status as a nuclear power could not be changed.

In response to North Korea's backlash, the Blue House reiterated that the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is an international goal confirmed by numerous UN Security Council resolutions. It also stated that cooperation on extended deterrence between South Korea and the US is an obligation to protect the lives and safety of the people and is in line with the international non-proliferation regime.