yunhap newsIn response to North Korea’s test-fire of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the United Nations (UN) held a Security Council meeting to discuss sanctions against North Korea, but China and Russia oppose the sanctions. A press statement condemning North Korea was also not adopted due to opposition from China and Russia.
On the afternoon of the 25th (local time), the UN Security Council held an open meeting to deal with issues such as North Korea’s missile test launch at the UN headquarters in New York. The meeting was held at the request of the permanent members of the Security Council, including the United States, Britain, and France, to convene.
At this meeting, the US mentioned tightening sanctions on North Korea. US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas Greenfield, said, “The Security Council must unanimously criticize North Korea’s illegal actions and put pressure on North Korea to return to the table of dialogue,” said Resolution 2397, adopted in 2017 by the Security Council. took it out
The main gist of the resolution is to pressurize North Korea by further reducing its crude and refined oil caps, which are currently set at 4 million barrels and 500,000 barrels, respectively, if North Korea fires an ICBM.
South Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Cho Hyun-tae also attended the meeting and said, “South Korea condemns North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch in the strongest terms. “It is a serious threat. North Korea must meet its obligations under the Security Council resolutions and engage in meaningful dialogue with South Korea and the United States for denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
yunhap news
However, on the same day, China and Russia confirmed their opposition to sanctions against North Korea.
Zhang Jun, Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, said, “North Korea has kept its promises, but the United States has not kept its promise to suspend joint military exercises and has threatened North Korea’s security by deploying strategic nuclear weapons around the Korean Peninsula.” Russian deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Anna Evstigniva, said, “The further tightening of sanctions poses a threat to the North Korean people.”
China and Russia also opposed a joint press statement condemning North Korea’s missile launch, which was ultimately abandoned.
While there is a stark difference in the positions of the United States and China and Russia, measures to strengthen sanctions on North Korea will be discussed again at the Security Council in accordance with the trigger clause at a later date.