North Korea condemns denuclearisation discussion at South Korea-Japan-China summit

North Korea on Monday condemned South Korea, Japan, and China for committing to the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula during a rare summit in Seoul, calling the joint declaration a "grave political provocation and sovereignty violation."

"To discuss the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula today constitutes a grave political provocation and sovereignty violation that totally denies the DPRK's inviolable sovereignty and constitution reflecting the unanimous will of all the Korean people," North Korea's foreign ministry spokesman said through the state media.

China, Japan and South Korea sought to cooperate on security at their first three-way summit since 2019 in Seoul on Monday, where they "reiterated positions on regional peace and stability, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," a joint statement released after the summit showed.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang did not single out North Korea for criticism, but rather called on all parties to reduce tensions. South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged Pyongyang to scrap its plans to launch a second spy satellite into orbit.

North Korea has given notice that it plans to launch a rocket by June 4 to deploy a satellite.