North Korea has ruled out any possibility of resuming denuclearisation talks, even as Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, acknowledged that personal ties between her brother and former U.S. President Donald Trump are “not bad.”

In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday, Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Workers’ Party Central Committee, responded to recent U.S. signals of renewed interest in engagement.

“I do not want to deny that the personal relationship between the head of our state and the current U.S. president is not bad,” she said. “However, if those personal ties are used to promote denuclearisation, it would be nothing more than a mockery.”

Her remarks followed reports that Trump is open to reengaging with North Korea to revive stalled nuclear negotiations. However, Kim stressed that Pyongyang would no longer tolerate any approach that ignores its nuclear status. “Any attempt to deny the DPRK’s status as a nuclear weapons state will be thoroughly rejected,” she declared.

Referring to earlier Trump-Kim summits in Singapore (2018) and Hanoi (2019), Kim said the current geopolitical landscape in 2025 is vastly different from that period. She urged Washington to adopt a “new way of thinking” if it wants to resume meaningful dialogue.

In response, South Korea’s unification ministry reaffirmed its support for resuming U.S.-North Korea dialogue and emphasized peace and stability in the region.

Experts believe that while North Korea has hardened its position on denuclearisation, it may remain open to discussions on other strategic issues. The remarks come amid growing military and economic ties between North Korea and Russia, further complicating international diplomacy.