US Discusses Sanctions on North Korea's Ballistic Missile Launch via UN

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] The United States will discuss North Korea's ballistic missile launches at the UN Security Council's North Korea Sanctions Committee.

Thomas Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, stated at a press conference on the 17th (local time) explaining plans to participate in the 76th UN General Assembly, "We want to make it clear that we are very concerned about the missile launch tests North Korea conducted a few days ago," adding, "We have been in contact with regional partners until yesterday, discussed it at the Security Council, and plan to discuss it at the 1718 Committee."

The 1718 Committee is the UN Security Council's North Korea Sanctions Committee. Since this ballistic missile launch is a clear violation of the UN Security Council's sanctions resolutions against North Korea, it suggests the possibility of taking responsive measures after discussions at the sanctions committee.

However, there is also a possibility that only a meeting will be convened without additional measures.

The Security Council also held a closed meeting of the North Korea Sanctions Committee under the Security Council when North Korea launched short-range ballistic missiles in March, but no specific follow-up actions were taken.

The Security Council has generally adopted condemnation statements or sanction resolutions for North Korea's nuclear tests and medium- to long-range ballistic missile launches, but has tended not to take significant action against short-range ballistic missiles.

Amid these international sanction movements, North Korea claims that the short-range ballistic missile launches are not provocations but self-defensive activities in line with internal plans to strengthen national defense capabilities.

Kim Yo-jong, Deputy Director of the Workers' Party, stated in a commentary on the day of the ballistic missile launch, "We are not targeting anyone nor choosing any particular timing to provoke," adding, "We are conducting normal and self-defensive activities to carry out the first-year priority tasks of the five-year plan for defense science development and weapons system development decided at the Party Congress."