N.K. leader's sister calls nuclear arsenal 'core interests,' denuclearization 'line of no retreat': KCNA

SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Thursday denounced international calls for denuclearization, describing the country's nuclear weapons as its "core interests" and denuclearization as a "line of no retreat that can never be crossed," Pyongyang's state media reported.

In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim Yo-jong criticized the United States and its allies for making what she called "anachronistic" demands for North Korea's denuclearization.

She reiterated that denuclearization is an "irreversibly finalized agenda."

Kim's remarks came in response to a joint statement Wednesday by leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations, which reaffirmed their commitment to the "complete denuclearization" of North Korea.

Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, is seen in this photo captured from the website of the Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)