UN Overwhelmingly Adopts Resolution Expressing Concern Over North Korea's Nuclear Disarmament Legislation

The 77th UN General Assembly Plenary Passes Resolution Condemning North Korean Nuclear Program
Resolution No. 52, Clause 5, Supported by 166 Countries

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] At the United Nations General Assembly, resolutions urging North Korea to refrain from additional nuclear tests and expressing concerns over the legalization of its nuclear forces were overwhelmingly adopted.

According to the UN on the 7th (local time), during the 77th UN General Assembly plenary session held that day, resolutions condemning North Korea's nuclear weapons were passed one after another.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In the vote conducted clause by clause that day, Clause 5 of Resolution 52, which calls for a "comprehensive nuclear test ban" and condemns North Korea's six previous nuclear tests, received support from 166 countries, with 4 abstentions, and only North Korea voted against it.

This represents an increase in supporting countries and a decrease in abstentions compared to the vote in early last month at the First Committee of the UN General Assembly responsible for disarmament and international security (160 countries in favor, 1 against, 9 abstentions).

This clause urges North Korea to fully comply with UN Security Council resolutions, abandon nuclear weapons development, and refrain from conducting any additional nuclear tests.

It also reaffirms support for the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization (CVID) of the Korean Peninsula and welcomes efforts to resolve the issue through dialogue and diplomacy.

Clause 10 of Resolution 61, concerning the "roadmap toward a world without nuclear weapons," which calls for North Korea to dismantle its nuclear arsenal, passed the plenary session smoothly with 145 countries in favor, 4 against, and 15 abstentions.

This also shows an increase in supporting countries compared to the October vote at the First Committee (132 in favor, 4 against, 22 abstentions).

This clause urges North Korea to dismantle all its nuclear weapons, existing nuclear programs, weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and ballistic missile programs in a CVID manner, and expresses serious concern over North Korea's nuclear force policy legalization, which lowered the threshold for nuclear weapon use in September.

Although these resolutions do not have legal binding force like Security Council resolutions, they are expected to indirectly pressure North Korea as most countries except North Korea overwhelmingly supported them.

Resolutions 52 and 61 were also adopted last year.