UN Security Council Fails All 10 Times... "Concerns Over Misjudgment of North Korea's Nuclear Test"

North Korea's 10th Failed Response This Year Amid China-Russia Opposition
Experts: "Even with Nuclear Tests, Security Council Support Unlikely"
14 Countries Issue Joint Statement...Focus on 'US Proposal' Chair Statement

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, is reading a statement condemning North Korea's ICBM test launch after a UN Security Council meeting on the 21st (local time). [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Jang Hee-jun and Yoo In-ho] The United Nations Security Council convened its 10th meeting this year regarding North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches, but once again ended empty-handed. It has repeatedly failed to produce any significant outcomes due to opposition from China and Russia. Analysts warn that the repeated deadlock in the Security Council could increase the risk of North Korea miscalculating and conducting a nuclear test.

At the Security Council meeting held on the 21st (local time) at the UN Headquarters in New York, the United States, Western countries, South Korea, and Japan condemned North Korea's repeated provocations and called for a unified official response at the Security Council level.

Hwang Jun-guk, South Korea's Ambassador to the UN, attending the meeting as a concerned party, condemned, "Due to the opposition of two permanent members, the Security Council failed to adopt a sanctions resolution in May as well," adding, "North Korea has developed nuclear weapons by exploiting the Security Council's inaction and division."

However, China and Russia reiterated at this meeting that North Korea's ICBM launches are "the fault of the United States." In particular, Zhang Jun, China's Ambassador, argued that existing UN sanctions against North Korea should be eased in order for North Korea to return to denuclearization talks.

According to UN Security Council Resolution 2397, adopted in 2017, sanctions against North Korea should be automatically strengthened when North Korea launches an ICBM. However, the provision for "automatic strengthening" has been ineffective in the face of opposition from China and Russia, permanent members with veto power.

Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook, South Korea's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, urged the international community for a swift response to North Korea's ICBM test launch at the UN Security Council on the 21st (local time).
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean Studies at Ewha Womans University, said, "Before the meeting, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui issued a statement calling the UN Secretary-General a 'puppet of the United States,' which reflects confidence based on China and Russia's support, anticipating the Security Council's failure," adding, "At this rate, even if North Korea conducts a seventh nuclear test, it will be difficult for the Security Council to play any significant role."

The Security Council has discussed responses to North Korea's provocations 10 times this year but has adjourned each time without results due to opposition from China and Russia. The UN passed a resolution last April requiring the General Assembly to convene within ten days if a permanent member exercises veto power, but this did not limit the exercise of veto power itself.

Due to China and Russia's "shielding" of North Korea, diplomatic pressure cards to counter North Korea's provocations have effectively disappeared. Only 14 countries, including South Korea, the US, and Japan, have issued a joint statement outside the Council. The US also proposed a Security Council presidential statement condemning North Korea's ICBM launches, but even if adopted, it is unlikely to exert significant pressure on North Korea.

Moon Sung-mook, Director of the Unification Strategy Center at the Korea Institute for National Strategy, analyzed, "China has already blamed the US for military tensions on the Korean Peninsula by advocating North Korea's 'reasonable security' at the US-China summit," adding, "Since it has become clear that reliance on the UN Security Council is no longer possible, it is time to consider strengthening independent sanctions against North Korea with key allies or even measures that could impose disadvantages on China and Russia, who support North Korea."

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