US says UN Security Council silence on North Korea is dangerous

UNITED NATIONS – The United States proposed on Monday that the United Nations Security Council condemn

North Korea’s ballistic missile launches

and encourage Pyongyang to engage in diplomacy, warning that the 15-member body’s failure to respond had become dangerous.

China and Russia oppose any further action by the council, arguing that putting further pressure on North Korea would not be constructive. The pair

vetoed a US-led push to impose more UN sanctions

on North Korea in May 2022.

“The reality is that those who shield the DPRK from the consequences of its escalatory missile tests put the Asian region and entire world at risk of conflict,” said US Ambassador to the United Nations, Ms Linda Thomas-Greenfield, referring to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the North’s official name.

“The council’s lack of action is worse than shameful. It is dangerous,” she told the Security Council, proposing that it adopt a formal presidential statement – one step below a resolution – to condemn North Korea’s action and urge diplomacy.

Such statements have to be agreed by consensus. The last time the council took action on North Korea was when it adopted a resolution to strengthen sanctions in December 2017 over Pyongyang’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

Ambassador Dai Bing, China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, said repeated council meetings and calls for more sanctions on North Korea “neither embody the constructive role of easing the situation, nor bring new ideas conducive for solving the problem”.

“Exclusively pursuing and piling on sanctions will only lead to a dead end,” Mr Dai told the council. “China genuinely hopes for stability rather than chaos on the peninsula... China calls on all parties to remain cool-headed and restrained.”

The council met on Monday after North Korea launched two more ballistic missiles, with the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un saying Pyongyang’s use of the Pacific as a “firing range” would depend on the behaviour of US forces.

The launches on Monday came just days after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the sea off Japan, prompting the US to hold

joint air exercises with South Korea

and separately with Japan on Sunday.

After the Security Council meeting, two-thirds of the body’s members and South Korea issued a joint statement – read by Ms Thomas-Greenfield – condemning North Korea’s missile launches.

“We will not stay silent as the DPRK advances its unlawful nuclear and missile capabilities, threatening international peace and security,” read the statement.

Meanwhile, Singapore has condemned North Korea’s spate of missile tests, which it said is a dangerous provocation that will exacerbate tensions on the Korean peninsula and jeopardise stability in the region.

“It is also a blatant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry said Singapore reiterates its longstanding call for North Korea to cease all provocations immediately and abide by its international obligations and commitments. REUTERS