US-led UN Security Council Sanctions Committee Meeting on North Korea Convened

Lower Rank Than Security Council Meeting
Last Year's Ballistic Missile Launch Response Meeting Led by Europe

North Korea conducted a test launch of a newly developed tactical guided missile on the 25th, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 26th. This new tactical guided missile is presumed to be an improved version of the North Korean Iskander (KN-23), which was unveiled at the military parade of the 8th Workers' Party Congress in January. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The United Nations Security Council will convene the North Korea Sanctions Committee on the 26th (local time) to discuss North Korea's missile launch issue.

A major foreign media outlet reported on the 25th (local time) that the North Korea Sanctions Committee decided to convene a meeting at the request of the United States regarding North Korea's short-range ballistic missile launch.

North Korea announced that it test-fired two new tactical guided missiles into the East Sea from the Hamju area in South Hamgyong Province the day before. This is the first ballistic missile launch since the inauguration of the Joe Biden administration. The UN Security Council has passed resolutions prohibiting North Korea's ballistic missile launches. North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un did not observe this test.

On the same day, President Biden pointed out at his first press conference since taking office that North Korea's ballistic missile launch violates UN resolutions, but some evaluations say the US response is low-key. The previous Donald Trump administration deliberately overlooked North Korea's short-range missile launches, stating they were not a breach of promises.

The Biden administration is understood to have indicated an attitude of responding to North Korea's missile launches through international cooperation, unlike the Trump administration.

Major foreign media assessed that the US convening the North Korea Sanctions Committee meeting under the Security Council rather than a Security Council meeting itself is a 'low-key' response. When North Korea launched ballistic missiles in April last year, a Security Council meeting attended by ambassador-level officials was held at the request of European countries.

On the same day, UN Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres called for a diplomatic solution. UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq stated at the regular briefing, "The Secretary-General reaffirmed the need for North Korea to resume diplomatic engagement with relevant parties and to work for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.