North Korea declares itself a nuclear weapons state

North Korea has passed a law officially declaring itself a nuclear weapons state.

According to state media reports on Friday, the nation’s leader Kim Jong Un said the status is “irreversible” and that there would be no denuclearisation negotiations.

Kim Jong Un stressed his country will never abandon the nuclear weapons it needs to counter the United States, which he accused of pushing to weaken the North’s defenses and eventually collapse his government.

The law also enshrines the country’s right to use a pre-emptive nuclear strike to protect itself.

Despite crippling sanctions, Pyongyang has conducted six nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017.

It has continued to advance its military capability – in breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions – to threaten its neighbours and potentially even bring the US mainland within striking range.

Mr Kim carried long-range launches and nuclear tests in 2019 following two headline-grabbing but inconclusive summits with then US president Donald Trump.

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But talks between the countries have since stalled. Although the Biden administration has indicated it’s willing to talk to Pyongyang, it hasn’t said whether President Joe Biden would meet Mr Kim.

The White House also said its attempts to contact Pyongyang and overtures of help over its Covid outbreak had gone unanswered so far.

The US reviewed its North Korea policy last year and reiterated that “complete denuclearisation” of the Korean peninsula was the goal.

Mr Biden said he would pursue it with a mix of diplomacy and “stern deterrence”.

Mr Kim responded by saying his country must prepare for both “dialogue and confrontation”.

Zainab Sa’id