Majority of UN Security Council members urge North Korea to give up missiles

A majority of the 15-member UN Security Council called on North Korea to give up its ballistic missile program, condemning a missile launch from last month.

New York, New York - A majority of the 15-member UN Security Council on Tuesday called on North Korea to give up its ballistic missile program and condemned its launch of an intercontinental missile last month.

This picture taken on October 31, 2024 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on November 1, 2024 shows a test-fire of the new Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), at an undisclosed location in North Korea.
This picture taken on October 31, 2024 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on November 1, 2024 shows a test-fire of the new Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), at an undisclosed location in North Korea.  © STR / KCNA VIA KNS / AFP

"This launch, in addition to the more than 100 ballistic missile launches since 2022 to date, is a clear violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, jeopardizes international peace and security, and threatens to undermine the global nonproliferation regime," the countries said in a joint statement read out by deputy US ambassador Robert Wood.

Besides the US, the statement was signed by France, Japan, Ecuador, Malta, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Britain.

They were also joined by Denmark, Greece, and Panama, which will become non-permanent members of the council in January.

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According to the statement, in response to the ICBM launch on October 30, the US asked the council to adopt a text declaring North Korea to be in violation of UN resolutions. This would need to be approved by all 15 members.

"However, two council members refused to join a united denunciation," the statement said.

The text does not name the two countries, but the US regularly accuses Russia and China of protecting North Korea at the United Nations.

"We call on the DPRK to return to negotiations, comply with its obligations under numerous UN Security Council resolutions, and abandon its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs," the joint statement said.

It made no mention of a salvo of short-range ballistic missiles that North Korea allegedly fired just ahead of the US presidential election on Tuesday.

How long has North Korea been under UN sanctions and why?

North Korea has been under UN sanctions since 2006 because of its weapons programs and they were toughened three times in 2017.

But since then the council has failed to achieve a common position on North Korea.

In May 2022 China and Russia vetoed a draft resolution that would have slapped new sanctions on North Korea.

Cover photo: STR / KCNA VIA KNS / AFP

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