North Korea has declared that it is not bound by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and insisted that external pressure will not alter its status as a nuclear-armed state.

The country’s UN envoy, Kim Song, made the position known in a statement reported by state media on Thursday during a United Nations review meeting of the treaty.

Kim said the United States and its allies were “groundlessly” challenging Pyongyang’s sovereign status, adding that North Korea’s nuclear position is “irreversible”.

“The status of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as a nuclear-armed state will not change based on external rhetorical claims or unilateral desires,” he said.

He further stated that North Korea would not be bound by the NPT “under any circumstances whatsoever,” stressing that its nuclear doctrine is now enshrined in its constitution.

North Korea originally threatened to withdraw from the NPT in 1993 and formally exited the treaty in 2003. Since then, it has conducted six nuclear tests and is believed to possess dozens of nuclear warheads.

The NPT, which came into force in 1970, is designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, promote disarmament, and encourage peaceful use of nuclear energy. Nearly all countries are signatories, except North Korea, Israel, India and Pakistan.

However, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned at the review meeting that the treaty’s credibility is weakening, citing rising global tensions and unfulfilled commitments.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), nine nuclear-armed states collectively held about 12,241 nuclear warheads as of January 2025, with the United States and Russia accounting for nearly 90 percent.

North Korea has also deepened military ties with Russia in recent times, reportedly supplying troops and ammunition in exchange for economic and technical support amid the Ukraine war.