Overwhelming Approval of 'Condemnation of North Korea's Nuclear Test' at UN General Assembly First Committee

Resolution Urging 'Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban' Passed with Separate Vote on 'Bukhaek', China Also Supports
Resolution No. 61 Urging North Korea's Nuclear and WMD Dismantlement Adopted

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Amid concerns over North Korea's 7th nuclear test, it has been revealed that the majority of UN member states, including China, supported condemning North Korea's past six nuclear tests.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 1st, the UN General Assembly First Committee (disarmament and international security) adopted Resolution 52, urging a 'comprehensive nuclear test ban,' on the 28th of last month (local time) with the support of 179 countries.

This resolution opposes all nuclear weapons tests and calls for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). China and Russia also supported it, with only North Korea voting against.

Regarding whether to maintain paragraph 5 of Resolution 52, which 'condemns North Korea's six nuclear tests and urges the abandonment of its nuclear weapons program,' a separate vote was held.

Although North Korea-related provisions have always been included in the resolution, separate votes have not been held in the past 10 years.

In the vote, 179 countries including South Korea, the United States, Japan, and China, which jointly proposed Resolution 52, voted in favor, with only North Korea opposing.

Nine countries, including Syria, abstained.

Additionally, on the 31st of last month, Resolution 61, urging the dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, was also adopted.

The resolution states, "Reaffirming the determination to achieve the complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, all weapons of mass destruction, and ballistic missile programs of North Korea in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, and the obligation of all UN member states to fully implement the relevant resolutions."

It also includes the content, "Expressing serious concern over North Korea's revision of its nuclear policy on September 9, 2022, lowering the threshold for nuclear weapon use, and urging North Korea to promptly return to full compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards."

In this resolution, North Korea, as well as China, Russia, Nicaragua, South Africa, Syria, and others voted against.

These resolutions are expected to be finally adopted after a vote at the UN General Assembly plenary session next month, but they have no legal binding force.

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