North Korea declared on September 18–19, 2026 that its nuclear status is "irreversible," responding to criticism from the UN atomic agency (IAEA). The country dismissed the UN watchdog's resolution as reflecting "double standards."
North Korea's Kim Yo Jong denounced an International Atomic Energy Agency meeting on denuclearization on 16 September 2026, and on 17 September warned of a stronger response to ongoing US-led military exercises. The statements escalate North Korea's rhetoric amid regional tensions.
Kim Yo-jong, powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed International Atomic Energy Agency calls for denuclearization on 2026-09-16/17 and condemned U.S.-led maritime exercises on 2026-09-18 as 'war rehearsal,' vowing nuclear build-up.
The International Atomic Energy Agency reported on 9 September 2026 that North Korea has constructed a two-storey uranium enrichment facility, expanding its nuclear weapons capabilities at Yongbyon. The watchdog expressed "serious concern" over the expansion.
On September 9, 2026, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that North Korea constructed a new uranium enrichment facility at its Yongbyon nuclear complex and activated an expanded enrichment annex at its Kangson site. The development signaled continued nuclear weapons development by Pyongyang.