White House "Doesn't recognize North Korea as a nuclear power..."No change in policy".

Hegseth's expression of 'North Korea's nuclear power' 'does not recognize'
's policy of not recognizing North Korea's nuclear power remains unchanged
Possibility of North Korea's provocations before and after Trump's inauguration "watch closely"

[Anchor]
U.S. Trump's second-term secretary of defense has referred to North Korea as a nuclear power, but the Biden administration has said it cannot admit it.

He also said he is watching the possibility of North Korea provocations before and after Trump's inauguration.

This is Washington correspondent Kwon Jun-ki.

[Reporter]
John Kirby, the White House National Security Council's communications adviser, was asked during a farewell briefing with foreign reporters about Hagess's description of North Korea as a nuclear power.

Kirby said he could not talk about the position of the incoming administration, but at least the Biden administration could not admit it.

Although North Korea has nuclear weapons, it does not change its policy of not recognizing its status as a nuclear power.

[John Kirby / National Security Council Communications Advisor] Our policy has not changed. We cannot say how the next security team will define (North Korea's status as a nuclear power), but we have not gone so far as to acknowledge it.]

Kirby said he was in talks with the Trump administration next week about North Korea and was taking over information on North Korea's movements and military capabilities.

He also noted that North Korea has continued to launch ballistic missiles until recently, and said he is also closely watching the possibility of provocations before and after Trump's inauguration.

[John Kirby / National Security Council communications adviser] I don't want to make any predictions about intelligence assessments, but I'm watching North Korea very closely. I can't fully predict what Kim Jong-un will do over the next few days.]

He did not add an opinion, saying it was thoroughly up to Trump to decide whether he would meet with Kim Jong-un even in his second term in office.

However, North Korea has repeatedly expressed regret over the Biden administration's repeated refusal to offer unconditional dialogue.

Kirby emphasized that South Korea and Japan are supporting Ukraine because of President Biden's leadership, citing strengthening trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan as the Biden administration's greatest achievement.

This is YTN Kwon Jun-ki from Washington.