UN Security Council North Korea Sanctions 'Fail' Due to China Veto... Opposition from US and 7 Other Countries

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] The United States' attempt to expand sanctions against North Korea at the United Nations (UN) Security Council level was blocked by China and Russia. UN ambassadors from Western countries, including the United States, condemned North Korea's recent ballistic missile launches and repeatedly urged additional sanctions against those involved in missile development.

According to AFP and others on the 20th (local time), China and Russia expressed a 'hold' position on the U.S. proposal to add North Korean missile development personnel to the Security Council sanctions list ahead of a closed-door Security Council meeting. Earlier, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, had requested additional sanctions to designate five North Koreans affiliated with the North Korean Academy of Defense Science (Second Academy of Natural Sciences), who were independently sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department on the 12th, as Security Council sanctions targets as well.

Originally, this proposal was scheduled to be automatically approved by 3 p.m. Eastern Time on the same day if there was no opposition from the 15 Security Council member states. However, China and Russia reportedly requested a hold, citing the need for review time. The Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee operates on a consensus basis, requiring unanimous agreement from all 15 member states for decision-making.

This was the second closed-door Security Council meeting this year. However, since permanent members China and Russia oppose additional sanctions against North Korea, it is expected to be difficult to adopt an official statement condemning North Korea's recent missile launches. In particular, considering China's previous stance advocating for the easing of international sanctions against North Korea in opposition to the United States, this hold request is regarded as a predictable outcome.

Immediately after the failure of the additional sanctions, U.S. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield urged, "All member states must unite in condemning North Korea's violations of Security Council resolutions." Through a joint statement by eight ambassadors including Albania, Brazil, France, Ireland, Japan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom, she stated, "We urge the UN North Korea sanctions committee to proactively support the implementation of Security Council sanctions against North Korea," adding, "This includes the designation of individuals involved in illegal weapons development proposed by the United States last week."

North Korea has continued four ballistic missile provocations this year. They said, "This is a threat to international peace and security," and "North Korea must stop these illegal acts and return to dialogue." They also reaffirmed their commitment to achieving permanent regional peace and stability and the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.