North Korea has responded sharply to South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung’s remarks on denuclearization during his recent visit to Washington.
According to the state news agency KCNA, Lee’s speech was exposed as shallow—and he was labeled a “hypocrite” and “confrontation maniac,” accused of pretending to seek improved ties with the North while pushing a hostile agenda.
KCNA dismissed his call for denuclearization as an impractical hope likened to trying to catch a cloud.
In his address at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Lee outlined a vision for expanding the South Korea–U.S. alliance globally, contingent on progress toward denuclearization, peace, and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.
This followed his summit with President Trump, where he sought renewed diplomatic engagement with North Korea.
Since assuming office in June, Lee’s administration has taken steps to ease cross-border tensions—stopping anti-North loudspeakers and exploring the reinstatement of prior bilateral agreements.
Pyongyang, however, dismissed these efforts, reaffirming its position that denuclearization is not under consideration and that its status as a nuclear power is non-negotiable.
North Korean commentary notably avoided mention of President Trump’s willingness to meet Kim Jong Un again.
Instead, the state-controlled media focused its critique solely on Lee’s remarks, seeming to avoid escalating tensions with the U.S. while firmly shutting down Seoul’s diplomatic overtures.