Nuclear Stance Hardens: North Korea again called its nuclear status “irreversible” and “irreversibly finalised,” rejecting U.S.-South Korea-Japan denuclearisation demands after a Tokyo trilateral reaffirmed “complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.” Inter-Korean Dialogue Push: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung marked the 26th anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration, telling audiences in Rome and Seoul that an “ember of hope” for dialogue with Pyongyang remains and pledging “best efforts” to restart talks, while stressing peaceful coexistence and rejecting “unification by absorption.” Cyber Theft Spotlight: North Korean-linked hackers were tied to a Humanity Protocol crypto heist reportedly worth up to $36M, using phishing and stolen credentials; separate reporting also highlights North Korea’s broader cyber reach and malware targeting South Korean users. Diplomatic Signals From Beijing: Analysts and reporting around Xi Jinping’s Pyongyang visit focus on what wasn’t said—China did not publicly raise denuclearisation, fueling speculation of tacit acceptance of North Korea’s nuclear reality. Regional Security Cooperation: North Korea and Vietnam held talks in Pyongyang on expanding public security and law-enforcement cooperation. U.S.-NK Diplomacy Rumors: Trump posted a photo from the 2018 Singapore summit with Kim Jong Un, reviving speculation about a possible diplomatic pivot after the Iran track. South Korea Domestic Fallout: South Korea’s courts upheld a treason conviction of former President Yoon Suk-yeol over drone operations aimed at provoking Pyongyang ahead of a martial law plot, a case likely to shape political and security debates around inter-Korean risk.