With the recent North Korea’s satellite lunch on 12th of April 2012, the UN Security Council today expressed strong condemnation on DPRK’s recent attempt to launch a satellite using ballistic missile technology.
In her remarks at the Security Council Stakeout, Ambassador Susan E. Rice underlined that the swift and unanimous adoption of her strong presidential statement shows that the international community is united in sending a clear message to North Korea that such provocations are serious and totally unacceptable.
Critically, the Security Council made it clear that there will be consequences for any future North Korean launch or nuclear test, she added.
“If North Korea chooses again to defy the international community, then the Council has expressed its determination to take action accordingly.” -Ms. Rice
She says the Security Council underscored that any such launch “no matter whether it is called a satellite or a space launch vehicle “is a “serious violation” of Security Council resolutions 1718 and 1874.
The Council also deplored that the launch has caused grave security concerns in the region as well, Ms. Rice stated.
The Security Council demands that North Korea not proceed with any further launches using ballistic missile technology and that North Korea comply with its obligations under previous Security Council resolutions by suspending all activities related to its ballistic missile program and reestablish a moratorium on missile launches.
The Security Council also demands that North Korea comply immediately with its obligations under previous Security Council resolutions, including that it abandon its nuclear programs, cease all related activities, and not conduct any further launch, any nuclear test, or any further provocation.
To ensure that there is a consequence for North Korea’s launch, this PRST also provides for new sanctions, she added.
The Security Council directed its North Korea Sanctions Committee to designate additional North Korean entities, including companies, to be subject to an asset freeze, as well as to identify additional proliferation-sensitive technology to be banned for transfer to and from North Korea.
The Committee will also take several other actions to improve enforcement of existing sanctions.
The United States will soon propose to the Committee a robust package of new designations, including the names of companies responsible for North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and a list of technical items that North Korea needs to proceed with its illicit programs, Ms. Rice underlined.
She stresses that this presidential statement is stronger and more explicit than the one the Security Council adopted in 2009 in reaction to North Korea’s last launch.
It was also adopted with unprecedented speed, she stressed.
On March this year, North Korea announced that it plans to carry out a missile launch in April, to mark the 100th birthday of its late leader, Kim Il-sung.
The announcement since then has sparked condemnation from the United States and international community, particularly the United States.
The United States said that launching would violate United Nations Security Council resolutions demanding that North Korea stop launching rockets that use long-range intercontinental ballistic missile technology, like the one that would carry the satellite to space.
United States remains committed to a denuclearized North Korea that respects the rights of its citizens.
On June 2009, the United Nations unanimously adopted resolution 1874, imposing stricter sanctions on the recalcitrant regime.
The new resolution has 34 points, the first of which “Condemns in the strongest terms the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK on 25 May 2009 (local time) in violation and flagrant disregard of its relevant resolutions, in particular resolutions 1695 (2006) and 1718 (2006), and the statement of its President of 13 April 2009 (S/PRST/2009/7).”
Since the adoption of Resolution 1874, countries have intercepted and seized tons of contraband cargo, including a massive arms shipment uncovered by Thailand in December. These interdictions show that countries are taking seriously their obligations to enforce these tough new measures. The United States will continue to press on sanctions implementation until there is concrete, verifiable progress on denuclearization.
Advancing human rights is a top U.S. priority in US North Korea policy as well and is among the primary factors that will determine if any long-term improvement between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) will be possible.
