Foreign Ministry on Security Council's Failure to Address North Korea ICBM: "Firm and Unified Response Needed"

"Continuous North Korean Provocations Heighten Regional Tensions... Efforts to Lead Non-Permanent Security Council Members Continue"

The government stated that it will "continue efforts to lead the UN Security Council member states" following the repeated failure to discuss a Security Council-level response to North Korea's recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch.

On the 18th, Lim Su-seok, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing in response to related questions, "The government maintains the position that a firm and unified response at the Security Council level is necessary regarding North Korea's repeated violations of Security Council resolutions."

The Security Council convened an open meeting on the 17th (local time) to discuss countermeasures following North Korea's test launch of the new solid-fuel propelled ICBM 'Hwasong-18' on the 13th. However, joint responses such as adopting a presidential statement were again thwarted due to opposition from China and Russia, North Korea's allies and permanent members of the Security Council.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Spokesperson Lim emphasized, "Our government strongly condemns North Korea for clearly violating multiple Security Council resolutions and escalating regional tensions by carrying out provocations such as consecutive missile launches, including the new solid-fuel ICBM."

Lim added, "To create an environment where North Korea has no choice but to return to denuclearization talks, we will continue a comprehensive approach based on the 'Bold Initiative' (the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's roadmap for North Korea's denuclearization), which aims to 'deter North Korea's nuclear threats, induce abandonment of nuclear development, and achieve denuclearization through diplomacy and dialogue.'"

In this regard, a Foreign Ministry official said at a meeting with reporters that "we are communicating through bilateral diplomatic channels with some Security Council members (such as China and Russia) about the necessity of responding to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats."

The Foreign Ministry official stated, "We are effectively responding to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats not only through the Security Council but also through independent sanctions measures among South Korea, the U.S., Japan, and allied countries, as well as joint responses between South Korea and the U.S.," adding, "Along with bilateral responses, we will continue to issue warnings and apply pressure on North Korea through international organizations such as the Security Council."