North Korea has reacted strongly against a joint statement issued by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and European Union (EU) leaders that declared North Korea's nuclear status as illegitimate, calling it "a clear violation of sovereignty and a serious hostile act."
In a statement released on the 13th, North Korea's Foreign Ministry described South Korea as an "unchanging enemy that has institutionalized hostility and confrontation."
The ministry asserted that the joint statement, made during President Lee's visit to Europe, condemned North Korea's status as a nuclear power and its military cooperation with Russia, which it claimed infringed on its sovereign rights.
It further criticized South Korea's previous claims of "respect for the regime" and "non-pursuit of hostile acts" as mere facades, accusing the country of fundamentally seeking hostility and confrontation.
The joint statement in question was issued following a meeting between President Lee, EU Council President António Costa, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on June 10 in Brussels.
In the statement, both sides expressed serious concerns regarding North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
It also stated that "North Korea will never be recognized as a nuclear state under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and will not hold any special status."
Additionally, the statement deemed military cooperation between North Korea and Russia as illegal, calling for an immediate cessation of related activities and compliance with UN Security Council resolutions. It also demanded improvements in North Korea's human rights situation and access for international and humanitarian organizations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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