UN Security Council Fails to Adopt Press Statement Condemning North Korea's ICBM Launch

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) discussed issuing a press statement condemning North Korea for test-firing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), but it was reported on the 26th that no conclusion was reached.

Earlier, the Security Council held a meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York to address North Korea and non-proliferation issues. It is known that China and Russia expressed opposition to the press statement.

Most council members, including the permanent members of the Security Council such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, as well as Albania, Ireland, and Norway, pointed out that North Korea's ICBM launch is a clear violation of the UN sanctions resolutions against North Korea.

The resolution stipulates that if North Korea launches an ICBM, the so-called "trigger" clause allows for further reductions in the current annual caps on crude oil and refined petroleum supplies to North Korea, which are set at 4 million barrels and 500,000 barrels respectively.

China and Russia opposed strengthening sanctions, arguing that the United States also bears responsibility for North Korea's ICBM launch.

Jang Jun, South Korea's Ambassador to the UN in China, stated that North Korea broke the moratorium declaration announced during the summit with the United States because the U.S. did not keep its promises. He said, "North Korea kept its promises, but the United States did not keep its promise to suspend joint military exercises and threatened North Korea's security by deploying strategic nuclear weapons around the Korean Peninsula."

Anna Evstigneva, Russia's Deputy Ambassador to the UN, also argued, "Further strengthening sanctions would threaten the North Korean people."

After the council members finished their public statements, the meeting was switched to closed session to discuss the possibility of issuing a joint statement, but opposition from China and Russia prevented this.

The plan to strengthen sanctions on North Korea according to the trigger clause is expected to be discussed in future Security Council meetings.

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