North Korea: "Stop the Nonsense About Denuclearization" (Comprehensive)

Statement by Kwon Jeong-geun, Director of the U.S. Affairs Department at North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On South Korea's mediator efforts: "We will choose when to get involved and when not to"
"We will continue to strengthen our power against U.S. threats"
"We have changed a lot compared to two years ago and will change fearsomely"

On June 30, 2019, President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim Jong-un met and talked in front of the Freedom House on the South Korean side of Panmunjom, along with President Trump.

On the 13th, Kwon Jong-geun, Director of the U.S. Affairs at North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement harshly criticizing South Korea's role as a mediator in the North Korea-U.S. denuclearization talks, saying, "It would be better to stop the nonsense about denuclearization."

In the statement released through the Korean Central News Agency on the same day, Director Kwon asserted, "We will continue to strengthen our power to suppress the continuous threats from the United States, and these efforts are ongoing relentlessly even at this very moment."

He emphasized, "Those who want to deal with us must carefully consider and find other ways to approach us," adding, "We have changed a lot compared to two years ago, we are still changing now, and we will continue to change fearfully."

Regarding the South Korean government's efforts as a denuclearization mediator, Director Kwon criticized, "No matter how much they want to be involved, at this point, they should know where they can and cannot fit in."

He claimed, "On the 12th, a South Korean Foreign Ministry official presumptuously boasted about continuously striving for the early resumption of North Korea-U.S. talks and insisted that efforts for complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of a permanent peace regime must continue."

He continued, "The South Korean authorities, who have neither the status to discuss nor the room or place to intervene in the issues between North Korea and the U.S., especially the nuclear issue, are absurdly babbling nonsense by arbitrarily interpreting denuclearization and talking about the resumption of talks."

Director Kwon also said, "I recall advising them a year ago not to behave disgracefully with inappropriate manners and to stay out of North Korea-U.S. affairs, but even now, the people from the southern neighborhood trying to find a reason to interfere are pitiful and pathetic."

He stated, "Let me make it clear that the absence of North Korea-U.S. talks and the failure of denuclearization are not due to the lack of a mediator," emphasizing, "If I were to explain the reason using the phrase often used in the southern neighborhood, it is because the 'conditions for denuclearization' have not been created."

Director Kwon said, "Those ignorant infants who do not even understand what conditions must mature and how many mountains must be crossed for denuclearization to be realized, mindlessly parroting about denuclearization even in such circumstances, make me think how foolish they are."

President Moon Jae-in is shaking hands with North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, who crossed over to the South Korean side of Panmunjom in front of the Freedom House on the afternoon of June 30, 2019, to hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Regarding the statement made the previous day by North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Son-gwon about "strengthening power against the United States," a South Korean Foreign Ministry official said, "The government will continue to make efforts for the early resumption of North Korea-U.S. talks and the development of inter-Korean relations." The official added, "Efforts for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of a permanent peace regime must continue."

Meanwhile, Director Kwon is considered a 'striker' in North Korea's line toward the U.S. Since February last year until October, Kwon Jong-geun had been announcing North Korea's positions toward the U.S. and South Korea as the Director of U.S. Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, around the time of the Stockholm North Korea-U.S. denuclearization working-level talks in October last year, he handed over the director position to Jo Chol-su and moved to a higher-level post as a roving ambassador at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was confirmed through a statement on the 11th that he returned to the position of Director of U.S. Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after just half a year.

Kwon Jung-geun, Director General for the United States at the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (center)

In that statement, he warned the United States not to interfere in inter-Korean relations, saying, "If you do not want to suffer terrible consequences, it would be better to keep your mouth shut and tidy up your own house first."

On the same day, in response to a question from a reporter of the North Korean state media Korean Central News Agency, Kwon claimed, "Inter-Korean relations are thoroughly an internal matter of our nation, and no one has the right to make petty criticisms about it."

He threatened, "At a time when the U.S. political situation is more chaotic than ever, if they do not think about taking care of their own affairs and unnecessarily interfere in others' matters and recklessly speak out, they may face difficult and unfavorable consequences."

Director Kwon further warned, "If you do not want to suffer terrible consequences, keep your mouth shut and tidy up your own house. That will not only be in the interest of the United States but also beneficial for smoothly conducting the upcoming presidential election right around the corner."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.