At an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday, China and Russia pushed back on efforts by the United States (US) to impose new sanctions against North Korea in light of the rogue regime’s most recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test.
Chinese ambassador Zhang Jun accused the US of lacking ‘sincerity,’ urging it to “put forward realistic and feasible proposals” that take into account North Korea’s “legitimate concerns.”
In fact, rather than impose new sanctions, he said UNSC members should play a “constructive role” and instead “ease sanctions”
For too long, North Korea has acted with impunity. It has conducted escalatory, destabilizing ballistic missile launches in violation of Security Council resolutions without fear of a response or reprisal.
— Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) November 21, 2022
Why? Two members of the Council are enabling and emboldening North Korea.
Similarly, Russian ambassador Anna Evstingneeva opined that the frequent large-scale military exercises by the US and its allies are ‘provocative’ and ‘dangerous.’ She accused Washington of attempting to force Pyongyang, noting that the most recent ICBM launch was preceded by a joint exercise between the US, South Korea, and Japan. She thus argued that Pyongyang’s actions were simply the result of Washington’s “short-sighted confrontational military activity.”
Further sanctions, the diplomat claimed, would “threaten” North Korean citizens with “socioeconomic and human upheaval.” To this end, she called on all parties to exercise restraint and called on countries to consider “a draft political and humanitarian resolution,” prepared by Russia and China.
Brazil, too, questioned the efficacy of sanctions, saying that while North Korea is “necessary and appropriate,” it is also true that “all of Pyongyang’s intercontinental missile capabilities were developed while it was already one of the most sanctioned countries in the world.”
It is unconscionable that Russia, a UNSC P5 member, continues its horrific filtration operation. Forced transfer or deportation of protected persons from occupied territories to the territory of the occupier constitutes a war crime.
— Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) November 18, 2022
We are committed to ensuring accountability. https://t.co/fLwY1rPiww
“None of those has prevented the prodigious quantity and qualitative expansion of North Korea’s arsenal for the past five years,” remarked Ambassador João Genésio de Almeida Filho.
In contrast, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield asserted the ICBM launch last Friday was North Korea’s eighth this year and was among “an unprecedented total” of 63 ballistic missiles launched this year alone. She expressed alarm at the 250% increase from its previous annual record of 25.
“Such actions, in violation of Council resolutions, demonstrate a disregard for the safety of the region and a lack of respect for the Council,” she remarked.
Greenfield said the “reckless” test presented “another opportunity for the Council to hold Pyongyang accountable for its dangerous rhetoric and destabilising actions.”
All parties concerned should remain calm, exercise restraint, be cautious in their words and deeds, and refrain from any action that may exacerbate tension or lead to miscalculation, so as to prevent the situation on the peninsula falling into a vicious circle.
— Zhang Jun (@ChinaAmbUN) November 22, 2022
The US ambassador reiterated that Washington is “prepared to meet without preconditions,” but lamented that the North has “acted with impunity, without fear of response or reprisal, emboldened by two veto-wielding members of the Council,” referring to Russia and China.
Taking aim at their “blatant obstructionism,” which she said “endangers the lives of Japanese civilians and puts the region and the entire world at risk,” the US representative decried the abuse of the veto power.
“When they talk about abuse of the veto, they refer to cases like this one,” she stressed.
Keeping this in mind, she said the Biden administration will put forth a Presidential Statement that calls on all members to condemn North Korea’s “unlawful ballistic missile advancement.”
Stood with colleagues from 🇦🇱🇦🇺🇪🇨🇫🇷🇮🇪🇮🇳🇯🇵🇲🇹🇳🇴🇰🇷🇨🇭🇦🇪🇬🇧 to strongly condemn North Korea’s most recent ICBM launch.
— Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) November 21, 2022
The UNSC must speak out against North Korea's actions with a unified voice – and take action to address these unequivocal threats to international peace and security.
Presidential statements are a level below legally binding council resolutions and require consent from all 15 council members in order to be adopted. However, the council failed to take any collective measures against the situation.
Nevertheless, the US, along with 14 of its allies—several of which hold non-permanent seats in the council—adopted a statement condemning the Kim Jong-un administration’s actions and called for a unanimous response from the council to penalise the country.
Japan and South Korea both echoed Greenfield’s concerns.
Japanese Ambassador Ishikane Kimihiro said it is “outrageous to allow North Korea to take hostage the entire international community,” and urged members to impose new sanctions in order to prevent this from becoming the “new normal.”
Nuclear weapons cannot be used. Nuclear wars must not be fought. Major powers should work together to prevent a nuclear crisis in Eurasia. All efforts should be made to avoid attacks against civilians & civilian facilities to prevent the emergence of a larger humanitarian crisis.
— Chinese Mission to UN (@Chinamission2un) November 16, 2022
Likewise, South Korean Ambassador Joonkook Hwang condemned the most recent ICBM launch “in the strongest terms,” saying North Korea is “taking advantage of the Council’s inaction and divisions.”
The emergency meeting came in response to North Korea on Friday launching the Hwasong-17 ICBM, which is capable of striking the US. The missile is designed to carry multiple nuclear warheads and landed near Japanese waters.
#Evstigneeva at UNSC briefing on the #DPRK: No miracle will happen if the US and its allies only choose to proceed with military measures and further threaten with sanctions. This approach only promises more tension for the #KoreanPeninsula.https://t.co/J3R2UUtWY8 pic.twitter.com/fxku8ZrEMJ
— Russia at the United Nations (@RussiaUN) November 21, 2022
The rogue regime has carried out a series of missile launches in recent months, including ICBMs and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. In fact, it has already conducted missile tests on 34 days this year, with the country passing a law in September that affirms its right to use pre-emptive nuclear strikes and makes the nuclear status “irreversible.”
A day after the ICBM launch, the US and South Korea held a joint air drill with the US’ B-1B Lancer strategic bombers and F-16 fighter jets as well as South Korea’s F-35 jets. The two sides simulated aerial strikes on North Korean mobile missile launchers.
The latest UNSC meeting marked the 10th time the council convened this year following a North Korean ballistic missile test.