North Korea's leader says its nuclear status is permanent and warns rivals

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared that his country's status as a nuclear weapons state is now permanent and 'irreversible'. He praised the decision to pursue nuclear weapons as the correct one and said North Korea is capable of posing a nuclear threat to the United States.

Kim also issued a warning to South Korea, promising a 'merciless' response to any challenge. The statements represent a significant hardening of North Korea's position, formally rejecting any future negotiations aimed at denuclearization.