UN Security Council Holds Meeting on North Korea's ICBM Launch... Chair's Statement Reconsidered

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held its first open meeting of the year on the 20th (local time) in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the afternoon of the same day, the Security Council members held an open meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA, to discuss responses to North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) 'Hwasong-15' test launch. North Korea has continued its missile provocations, having launched one long-range ballistic missile presumed to be an ICBM into the East Sea at a high angle on the 18th, followed by two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) into the East Sea on the 20th.

The emergency meeting was convened at the request of Japan, which joined as a non-permanent member of the Security Council this year. Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook, South Korea's permanent representative to the UN, also attended as a concerned party. The Council members, including the United States and Japan, hold the position that North Korea's ICBM launches violate UN resolutions and that sanctions against North Korea should be automatically strengthened in accordance with UNSC Resolution 2397 on North Korea sanctions adopted in 2017. However, China and Russia oppose additional sanctions against North Korea.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the UN, strongly criticized China and Russia's attempts to block official Security Council responses during the meeting, stating, "The United States will once again propose a presidential statement." Previously, the US had drafted a Security Council presidential statement condemning North Korea's ICBM launches at the end of last year and sought its adoption, but it was blocked by opposition from China, Russia, and others. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield pointed out, "The two permanent members silenced us," adding, "The two members with veto power blocked all our response efforts."

It was also revealed belatedly that UN Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres met with North Korea's UN ambassador three weeks ago to discuss the Korean Peninsula issue. At a regular briefing that day, UN spokesperson St?phane Dujarric said, "The Secretary-General met with Kim Song, North Korea's UN ambassador, on January 30," and conveyed that "he expressed concern about rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula and urged the full implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions to ease tensions."