North Korea says its nuclear weapons not a 'bargaining chip' as Trump, Ishiba meet

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — 

North Korea said connected Saturday its atomic weapons are not meant for negotiations but are intended for combat usage against enemies that endanger its radical and satellite peace, its authorities media reported.

The connection comes aft U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba astatine the White House connected Friday. The 2 leaders expressed their committedness to ensuring North Korea ends its atomic weapons program.

KCNA did not notation the gathering betwixt the U.S. and Japanese leaders but alternatively cited reported comments by officials of NATO and the EU that reiterated demands for a implicit denuclearization of North Korea.

"We accidental this intelligibly again: Our atomic weapons are not an advertisement to get anyone's designation and adjacent little a bargaining spot to beryllium exchanged for immoderate money," KCNA said successful a statement.

"Our atomic forces are for unwavering combat usage to swiftly destruct immoderate attempts by force forces that infringe connected our country's sovereignty and the information of our radical and endanger satellite peace," it said.

North Korea has not responded straight to overtures from Trump to resume interaction with its person Kim Jong Un and alternatively stressed its volition to "bolster" its atomic forces.

Trump said connected Friday helium "will person relations with North Korea and with Kim Jong Un," adding helium had a bully rapport with Kim. The 2 held unprecedented acme meetings during Trump's archetypal presidency.

On Jan. 20 erstwhile helium was inaugurated for his 2nd term, Trump said the North was a "nuclear power," raising questions whether helium would prosecute arms simplification talks alternatively than denuclearization negotiations.

"The 2 leaders expressed their superior concerns implicit and the request to code North Korea’s atomic and rocket programs and reaffirmed their resolute committedness to the implicit denuclearization of North Korea," a associated connection by Trump and Ishiba issued aft their talks said.