On Wednesday, North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly adopted a decree on Nuclear Weapons Policy that legitimizes the possession of nuclear weapons by the country's leader, who solely has the right to make any decision concerning the use of the nuclear arsenal. During the session, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un said no sanctions will make Pyongyang give up its nuclear weapons.
"[W]e've been very clear since the beginning of this President's administration that our policy remains unchanged," Jean-Pierre said. "The United States remains focused on continuing to coordinate closely with our allies and partners to address the threats posed by DPRK [North Korea] and to advance our shared objective of the complete the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. That has not changed."
Jean-Pierre also said that the United States has made clear it does not have a hostile intent toward North Korea and will "continue to seek diplomacy and are prepared to meet without preconditions."
Jean-Pierre added that North Korea continues to not respond to the United States' requests for diplomatic dialogue, adding that Washington has been "very clear and upfront about that."
"But again, we remain fully committed to the defense of the Republic of Korea using the full range of defense," she said.
The Yonhap news agency said, referring to the North Korea's decree, that the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons include an attack or imminent threat of an attack by an enemy country with the use of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction on North Korea; an attack by hostile nuclear or non-nuclear nations on the leadership and command of the nuclear forces of North Korea; and a destructive attack on the country's strategically important facilities.