Statement by H.E. Ambassador ISHIKANE Kimihiro, Permanent Representative of Japan to then United Nations, at the United Nations Security Council Open Briefing on “Non-proliferation/Democratic People’s Republic of Korea”

Thank you, Mr. President. I also thank Mr. Khaled Khiari for his briefing.  
 
It is my and should be our greatest regret that we come to this Chamber again to discuss North Korea. Since the start of this year, the Security Council has convened to discuss North Korea’s unlawful development of nuclear weapons and their means of delivery -- every month.
 
Is this because the agenda item of “Non-Proliferation/DPRK” is a monthly scheduled meeting? No.
 
Is this because it is a favorite agenda item of the Council? No.
 
It is only because North Korea has continued violating the resolutions of this Council and posing a threat to the region and beyond. This is what we do not want to see. This is what the Council has repeatedly demanded be stopped. And, this is what we should take action on now.
 
Japan condemns in the strongest possible terms North Korea’s unlawful and destabilizing acts including the recent ballistic missile launch on April 13 which the DPRK claimed to be a solid-fuel ICBM and once again urges all Council members to show our collective commitment to stand firmly against these provocations.
 
Mr. President, dear colleagues,
 
Let us turn our eyes to the reality we have been facing. During the long silence and inaction of this Council:

• North Korea has conducted repeated missile launches. North Korea has steadily developed diversified ranges, types and modalities of missiles and other weapons systems. That includes a self-proclaimed “underwater nuclear attack drone” which is said to generate a radioactive contaminated tsunami;
• North Korea has publicly articulated its intention to mass-produce nuclear warheads;
• North Korea has reportedly now tested a new type of solid fueled ICBM, one of the development targets in their “five year military plan”; and
• North Korea has been publicly criticizing, intimidating and trying to silence the Secretary-General for doing his job on this issue, let alone the Security Council.

The threat is ongoing and growing.
 
Mr. President, dear colleagues,
 
I wish to remind fellow colleagues that North Korea announced its “five year military plan” in January 2021. What we are witnessing now is the steady implementation of their long-pursued nuclear and missile programs including that Plan.  This is a clear demonstration that the idea that there exists “negative action-reaction cycle” and therefore the Council should refrain from taking action to avoid provoking North Korea is a fallacy. The Council’s silence has not slowed North Korea at all; in fact, they have accelerated and diversified their activities.

They are taking full advantage of the Council’s inaction. They are repeatedly and flagrantly violating multiple unanimously adopted Security Council resolutions. The Council’s refusal to enforce its own resolutions has undermined its credibility. Not only North Korea but the entire world are watching to see whether we in this chamber can fulfill the heavy responsibility that has been entrusted on us by all the Member States to maintain international peace and security.
 
In this regard, Japan once again calls on all Member States to fully implement relevant resolutions and urges North Korea to immediately and fully comply with all relevant resolutions and to engage in diplomacy and accept the repeated offers of dialogue.
 
Mr. President, dear colleagues,
 
Now is the time for the Council to fulfill its duty by sending a strong and unified message. The PRST which has been proposed is a step forward, even as we stand ready to adopt more robust actions. Let us finally end the “negative action-inaction cycle” between North Korea and this Council.
 
I thank you.