Kim Jong Un's Sister Slams ASEAN as 'Stupid' Over Denuclearisation Calls
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has unleashed harsh criticism against ASEAN after the regional security forum reiterated its call for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. Kim went so far as to call the appeal a ‘stupid’ act and a ‘wild dream’ that is no longer relevant.
The statement was delivered by Kim on Monday (27/7/2026), days after the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) held in the Philippines issued a joint statement regarding North Korea’s nuclear programme. In a statement read by Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa P. Lazaro as forum chair, member states expressed ‘serious concern’ over Pyongyang’s development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, which they said violated United Nations Security Council sanctions.
The forum also stressed that Pyongyang’s nuclear programme threatens regional peace and stability and urged the resumption of peaceful dialogue to achieve a nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula. However, Kim Yo Jong flatly rejected the call.
Citing the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim expressed disappointment with ASEAN’s stance, which she claimed merely parrots the United States’ narrative on denuclearisation. She even labelled ASEAN a ‘paid mouthpiece of the United States’.
According to Kim, the goal of denuclearising the Korean Peninsula has lost all meaning because North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state has been enshrined in its constitution. ‘Clinging to the goal of denuclearisation is nothing but a stupid and futile wild dream,’ Kim said.
She asserted that nuclear weapons serve as the primary deterrent to safeguard her country’s sovereignty and guarantee national security. Therefore, Pyongyang will continue to strengthen its nuclear capabilities without delay.
Kim’s statement came as North Korea commemorated the 73rd anniversary of what it claims as victory in the 1950-1953 Korean War. Kim Jong Un also attended several commemorative events in Pyongyang.
The comments also followed remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who, on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting last week, defended North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons. According to Lavrov, Pyongyang has no choice but to rely on nuclear armaments to defend its sovereignty.
Conversely, the United States, South Korea, and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to achieving the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula at the same meeting.
Despite this, a different signal emerged from Seoul. South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young previously stated that his government no longer considers North Korea’s denuclearisation a short-term goal. Instead, Seoul is now prioritising a ‘peace first’ strategy through arms control dialogue.
North Korea last sent a representative to the ASEAN Regional Forum in 2024. The country has now skipped the region’s largest security forum for two consecutive years.