North Korea will keep its nuclear weapons “forever,” despite Seoul’s call for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula

North Korea has said it will keep its nuclear arsenal “forever,” according to its foreign minister, after the president of South Korea called for a Korean Peninsula without nuclear weapons.

The statement marks a firm position from Pyongyang and directly contradicts the objective expressed by Seoul’s leader. The North Korean minister did not indicate that his country intended to give up its nuclear weapons, instead reaffirming the permanent nature of the arsenal.

The president of South Korea advocated eliminating nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula, although the available information does not specify the exact date and context of his call. The two positions highlight the major differences between Seoul and Pyongyang over regional security and the future of North Korea’s nuclear program.

North Korea is subject to international sanctions because of the development of its nuclear and ballistic programs. The foreign minister’s statement comes as denuclearizing the peninsula remains one of the main objectives cited in discussions on stability in East Asia.