The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong, has said the country’s status as a nuclear-armed state is “absolute,” rejecting calls for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons programme.

Kim Yo Jong made the remarks in a statement carried by North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency on Thursday, describing efforts to denuclearise the country as unrealistic.

“The DPRK’s position as a nuclear weapons state is absolute which cannot be reversed with anything,” she said.

She argued that North Korea’s nuclear arsenal contributes to deterring what she described as hostile actions by other countries.

Kim Yo Jong also dismissed expectations that North Korea could eventually give up its nuclear weapons, saying those who believe denuclearisation is possible would “only hear the word of idiots.”

Her remarks came as the International Atomic Energy Agency held its General Conference in Vienna.

South Korea said it was closely monitoring the statement, particularly because it came after US President Donald Trump expressed interest in resuming dialogue with Kim Jong Un.

Trump has previously met Kim three times, although negotiations stalled after their 2019 summit in Hanoi failed to produce an agreement on sanctions relief and North Korea’s denuclearisation commitments.

North Korea has continued to expand its nuclear arsenal since the collapse of those talks.