Condemnation of North Korea and Russia at the UNSC Meeting
South Korean Ambassador: “North Korean Soldiers Are Cannon Fodder”
North Korean and Russian Representatives: “In Accordance with International Law”
Government Announces Export Control on ICBM Components
At the UN, South Korea and the United States faced off against Russia and North Korea over North Korea’s troop dispatch to Russia. The South Korean government also announced measures to control the export of missile components in response to North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch. On the 30th (local time) at the United Nations headquarters in New York, a UN Security Council meeting focused on maintaining peace and security in Ukraine saw representatives from South Korea and the United States condemn North Korea’s sending of troops to Russia. They warned of the consequences if North Korean soldiers engage in combat missions.
Hwang Joon-kook, the South Korean ambassador to the UN, stated, “North Korean soldiers might become legitimate military targets and end up as cannon fodder, with the money they earn from Russia ending up in Kim Jong-un’s pocket.” Robert Wood, the US deputy ambassador to the UN, added, “If North Korean forces enter Ukraine to support Russia, they will surely return as corpses.”
North Korea and Russia defended the legitimacy of the troop dispatch. Vasily Nebenzya, the Russian ambassador to the UN, questioned, “Why is it imposed on everyone that while the US and its allies, essentially NATO, have the right to support the Zelensky regime in Ukraine with military strength and intelligence, Russia’s allies do not have similar rights?” Kim Song, the North Korean ambassador to the UN, argued, “North Korea and Russia have the right to develop bilateral relations in all fields including economic and military under the North-Russian treaty, which is fully in accordance with international law. If Russia’s sovereignty and security interests are threatened by the continued dangerous attempts of the US and the West, we need to respond.”
Meanwhile, on the 31st, the South Korean government announced additional export control measures against North Korea in response to its ICBM launch. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “To restrict North Korea’s ballistic missile development prohibited by the UNSC resolutions, we announce new tailor-made monitoring items specific to North Korea in the field of solid-propellant missiles.” The items include 15 categories needed for the production and development of solid-propellant missiles, which North Korea finds difficult to produce on its own, such as solid propellants, casings, combustion chambers, and drive devices. Export to North Korea via third countries is prohibited through trade-related procedures.
[New York Correspondent Yoon Won-seop / Seoul Reporter Kim Sang-jun]