North Korea vows to ‘strengthen’ nuclear capabilities, rejecting G7 call for denuclearization

(LONDON) -- North Korea on Monday vowed to "steadily update and strengthen" its nuclear capabilities, a firm rejection of the G7's call for Pyongyang to "abandon" its nuclear ambitions.

The country's Foreign Ministry said that its "nuclear armed forces will exist forever as a powerful means of justice which defends the sovereignty of the state, territorial integrity and fundamental interests," according to the Korean Central News Agency, a state-run media outlet.

North Korea's nuclear development program "prevents a war in the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia and guarantees a strategic stability of the world," a ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

North Korea's statement followed last week's meeting of the G7 foreign ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in Quebec, Canada.

Those ministers on Friday called on the secretive state to "abandon all its nuclear weapons and any other weapons of mass destruction as well as ballistic missile programs in accordance with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions."

North Korean diplomats in their statement said the nuclear program was "fixed permanently" by the country's laws, adding that those laws "will not change according to the recognition of anyone."

North Korea is building a nuclear-power submarine, state media said earlier this month.

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