North Korea lambasts G-7, says its nukes are ‘stark reality’

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea’s foreign minister has called the Group of Seven wealthy democracies a “tool for ensuring the U.S. hegemony” as she lambasted the group’s recent call for the North’s denuclearization. The top diplomats from G-7 nations on Tuesday had condemned the North’s recent ballistic missile tests and reiterated their commitment to the goal of North Korea’s denuclearization. North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said the G-7 was a handful of “egoistic countries” that doesn’t represent the global community. The meeting of the G-7 foreign ministers in Japan was a prelude to the summit of G-7 leaders next month in Hiroshima, Japan. North Korea’s nuclear program is expected to be on the summit agenda.