North Korea: 'Futile' US-Japan-ROK Attempts Cannot Impact New Dynamic Structure

North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has pushed back against the recent trilateral meeting of South Korean, U.S., and Japanese foreign ministers held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Manila, Philippines.

In a statement issued by a spokesperson, the North Korean Foreign Ministry criticized that "the United States and certain countries blindly following it are using the ASEAN stage as a space to rationalize their own malicious intentions."

The spokesperson went on to emphasize that the trilateral discussion on North Korea's denuclearization and the mention of the Taiwan Strait issue under the pretext of "freedom of navigation" prove that they are the very "source of regional instability."

The statement claimed, "The futile attempts by the U.S., Japan, and South Korea cannot revive the 'denuclearization' issue, which has been irreversibly and finally discarded, and cannot have any impact on the new regional dynamic structure being established against the backdrop of our country's current status."

By repeating its claim of being a nuclear-armed state, North Korea signaled its assessment that the current favorable geopolitical environment, marked by improved North Korea-China and North Korea-Russia relations, will not easily change.

The spokesperson further argued that the "major threats" the region and the international community should be wary of are the U.S.-led exclusive security and economic blocs, as well as the push for nuclear armament by Japan and South Korea.

While expressing respect for ASEAN's status and role, the ministry also voiced discontent, stating, "Southeast Asia can never become a region subservient to the U.S. 'promotion of security and prosperity,' and the ASEAN stage must not become a ground to seek opportunities to criticize other countries and incite hostility."

According to U.S. State Department data, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, and Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi held talks on the 22nd local time, reaffirming their shared commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea.

They also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

North Korea did not participate in the ARF this year, following its absence last year, and this statement is interpreted as an off-site response.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.