Security Council Holds Emergency Meeting to Discuss North Korean Missiles at US Request

3 PM on the 11th... Additional Sanctions Proposal Likely to Fail Passage

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The United States has requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to discuss North Korea's missile launches.

AFP News Agency reported on the 9th (local time), citing diplomatic sources, that "a meeting to address the North Korea issue, requested by the United States as the UNSC chair country for May, will be held on the 11th at 3 p.m."

The meeting is expected to broadly discuss North Korea's military provocations and violations of UNSC sanctions resolutions. This year alone, North Korea has conducted 15 missile demonstrations, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and on the 7th, it launched a projectile presumed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

Ned Price, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, said at a briefing that "North Korea's missile launches, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), violate multiple Security Council resolutions," adding, "All countries have an obligation to ensure that Security Council resolutions are fully implemented and enforced."

Diplomatic sources said the United States has been reviewing the request to convene the Security Council meeting since late last week. AFP reported, "This meeting will be held a day after the inauguration of South Korea's new president Yoon Seok-yeol, who is hawkish on North Korea and values the South Korea-U.S. military alliance."

Given that Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, is pushing for the adoption of additional sanctions resolutions against North Korea, it is highly likely that this issue will also be discussed at the Security Council meeting.

The resolution includes reducing the cap on crude oil exports to North Korea from the current 4 million barrels to 2 million barrels, banning not only ballistic missile launches but also cruise missile launches, and prohibiting the export of tobacco leaves and tobacco products to North Korea.

However, the possibility of passing additional sanctions is considered very low by diplomats and foreign media alike, as China and Russia, permanent members of the Security Council with veto power, continue to oppose strengthening sanctions against North Korea.

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