Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has said North Korea will never give up its status as a nuclear power. She also warned that the country will not tolerate any threats, the South Korean Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday.
Xi will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The two will exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of common interest, among other things, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
Kim Yo Jong also said the claim that Xi and US President Donald Trump agreed on a denuclearization target in May is “false.”
“We have the most accurate information” about whether the claims are true or not, she said, without elaborating. Early this week, North Korea showed off a new nuclear material production facility, with leader Kim Jong Un calling for an “exponential” expansion of the country’s nuclear arsenal.
Analysts say the new uranium enrichment facility appears intended to strengthen North Korea’s negotiating position ahead of the summit between Xi and Kim, while justifying an acceleration of its nuclear buildup.