While Israel’s war in Gaza and Russia’s war in Ukraine are dominating headlines at UNGA, quiet but urgent concerns about North Korea and its nuclear program are being discussed behind closed doors. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
"If the United States drops the absurd obsession with denuclearizing us and accepts reality, and wants genuine peaceful coexistence, there is no reason for us not to sit down with the United States," Kim was quoted as saying by state news agency KCNA.
Trump has also signaled an intent to sit down with Russian and Chinese leaders to come to an agreement on scaling back nuclear weapons arsenals. It’s a top priority for the administration, according to the official, but the ball is in China’s court to start being honest about its nuclear arsenal.
"The first thing that would need to happen is for the Chinese to acknowledge and be more transparent about its own programs, in order to understand what direction within the discussion, what objectives, could be obtained."
The Defense Department has assessed that China has around 600 nuclear warheads as of mid-2024, but is rapidly increasing its supplies and may have over 1,000 by 2030.
WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO 'ROCKET MAN' AND NORTH KOREA'S THREATS OVER DENUCLEARIZATION
North Korea conducts rocket drills that simulate a nuclear attack. ( (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP))
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With North Korea showing no sign of returning to talks and China stonewalling on transparency, U.S. officials say the administration is leaning on allies and doubling down on deterrence.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/unga-nuclear-threats-from-north-korea-loom-quietly-behind-wars-gaza-ukraine