North Korea condemns China, South Korea, Japan over denuclearisation talks at summit: ‘grave political provocation’
- At a three-way summit, China, Japan and South Korea sought to cooperate on denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, they said in a joint statement
- Such discussion is an ‘is a declaration of war against the DPRK’, a spokesman for North Korea’s foreign ministry said in a retort to the joint statement
North Korea condemned China, Japan and South Korea on Monday for committing to denuclearise the Korean peninsula, describing their joint declaration after a rare summit in Seoul as a “grave political provocation” that violates its sovereignty.
The North has given notice of its plans to launch a rocket by June 4 to deploy a satellite, prompting the three countries to urge a halt to the move that would aid the isolated nation’s ability to deliver a nuclear strike.
At their first three-way summit in Seoul since 2019, the three countries sought to cooperate on security, reiterating positions on regional peace and stability and denuclearisation of the peninsula, they said in a joint statement.
Such discussion is an “insult never to be pardoned and a declaration of war against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK),” however, a spokesman for North Korea’s foreign ministry said in a swift riposte.
“To discuss the denuclearisation … today constitutes a grave political provocation and sovereignty violation,” the unidentified spokesman said in the statement reported by the North’s state media.
Such a move denies the North’s inviolable sovereignty and constitution reflecting the unanimous will of all the Korean people, he added.
