U.S. ambassador to UN says North Korea must re-impose additional UN sanctions

The United States announced on the 31st (local time) that if North Korea conducts an additional nuclear test, the UN Security Council will re-promote the resolution of additional sanctions against North Korea.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said at a press conference on the last day as a presidency of the tour, when asked whether North Korea would pursue additional sanctions if it conducts an additional nuclear test, she said, “I will definitely do so.” “First, it is necessary to ensure that the existing sanctions against North Korea are implemented, and additional sanctions will be pushed forward as in the recent Security Council vote,” he said.

Despite the rejection of the proposed additional sanctions against North Korea in response to North Korea’s test-fire of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on the 26th, it was clear that it would push for additional sanctions by the Security Council again if North Korea conducts a nuclear test. The sanctions proposed by the Security Council, led by the United States in response to North Korea’s successive ballistic missile tests, were approved by 13 of the 15 permanent and non-permanent members, but were not adopted due to opposition from China and Russia, which have veto powers. Since North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in 2006, the Security Council has adopted resolutions on sanctions against North Korea 10 times in relation to North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missiles. This is the first time the Security Council has rejected a resolution on sanctions against North Korea.

Asked whether it was appropriate for the US to push the vote on the resolution amid opposition from China and Russia, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said the United States debated the draft resolution for nine weeks, while North Korea continued to test weapons in violation of the Security Council resolution. said. He criticized the opposition of China and Russia as an act of the two countries giving up their responsibility to the Security Council and to safeguard world peace and security. He emphasized that it is important that 13 members of the Security Council supported additional sanctions against North Korea, noting that other members did not support the actions of China and Russia in protecting North Korea.

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said, “According to a resolution recently passed unanimously by the UN General Assembly, they (China and Russia) will have to explain their risky choices to the UN General Assembly.” On April 26, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution requiring permanent members to veto certain resolutions at the Security Council to attend the UN General Assembly within 10 days to participate in a discussion to explain the reasons for exercising the veto. After a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was rejected by the Security Council, a mechanism was prepared to check the exercise of the veto by the permanent members. Accordingly, the UN General Assembly is scheduled to hold a meeting on the 8th to discuss the veto between China and Russia on additional sanctions against North Korea. A spokesperson for the UN General Assembly told The Associated Press that it is true that the meeting will be held on the 8th, but cannot confirm whether China and Russia will attend.