UN Security Council Fails Again to Address North Korea ICBM... US Proposes "Presidential Statement"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) once again concluded discussions without any results on the issue of North Korea's recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch on the 21st (local time). In response, the United States announced its intention to propose a Security Council presidential statement condemning North Korea's ICBM launch.

At the open Security Council meeting held at the UN Headquarters in New York that day, Western countries including the United States, as well as South Korea and Japan, strongly condemned North Korea's ballistic missile provocations and urged a unified official response at the Security Council level. However, China and Russia reaffirmed their existing stance that North Korea's military provocations are due to the United States and expressed opposition.

This was the 10th meeting this year related to North Korea's ballistic missiles. As expected, no visible conclusion was reached in this meeting either, so ambassadors from 14 countries including South Korea, the United States, and Japan issued a joint statement outside the meeting immediately afterward condemning North Korea's ballistic missile provocations and urging denuclearization.

Additionally, the United States decided to propose a Security Council presidential statement. On that day, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, said, "The United States will propose a presidential statement," and urged, "We ask all our colleagues in the Security Council to strongly condemn North Korea and join us in measures to curb North Korea's illegal development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles." She also criticized China and Russia's use of veto power, saying it emboldens North Korea further, and stated, "The blatant obstruction by these two countries is putting Northeast Asia and the entire world at risk."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Hwang Joon-guk, South Korea's Ambassador to the UN, also said, "North Korea has become much more aggressive and dangerous," urging a stern response from the international community. He indirectly criticized the lack of international response to North Korea due to the opposition of China and Russia, permanent members of the Security Council, saying, "North Korea developed nuclear weapons by exploiting the Security Council's inaction and division."

He also requested that the Security Council members adopt the presidential statement proposed by the U.S. side. Regarding claims by China and others that the joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises triggered North Korea's missile provocations, he dismissed them, saying, "These are defensive exercises conducted regularly over a long period" and "They cannot be an excuse for North Korea's illegal provocations."

On this day as well, China and Russia blamed North Korea's repeated provocations on the West, including the United States. Zhang Jun, China's Ambassador to the UN, said, "For a return to dialogue, the United States must show sincerity," and turned the arrow at the U.S., saying, "It must take concrete measures such as halting military exercises and easing sanctions on North Korea."

Anna Evstigneyeva, Russia's Deputy Ambassador, also mentioned, "The United States and its Northeast Asian allies conducted large-scale military exercises, and North Korea acted as expected accordingly." She also claimed, "It is very regrettable that Western colleagues continue to ignore Pyongyang's repeated requests to 'stop the U.S.'s hostile acts.'"

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