Joint Statement on the DPRK’s November 21 Space Launch Vehicle
2023/11/22
Albania, Ecuador, France, Japan, Malta, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States strongly condemn the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) November 21 launch of a space launch vehicle (SLV) using ballistic missile technology, in violation of multiple Security Council resolutions. In addition to launching three SLVs this year, the DPRK has launched 29 ballistic missiles, including four ICBMs. This behavior threatens international and regional peace and security, and seeks to undermine the Security Council’s credibility and the global nonproliferation regime.
The DPRK has repeatedly demonstrated through both rhetoric and action its intent to advance its nuclear weapons delivery systems using ballistic missile technology. We urge all Security Council members to speak with a united voice in condemning this behavior.
We call on all Member States to implement fully all relevant Security Council resolutions, (including the prohibition on the supply, sale, or transfer to the DPRK or procurement from the DPRK of all arms and related materiel). This includes those measures aimed at addressing the DPRK’s sanctions-evasion activities in order to counter its unlawful WMD- and ballistic missile programs and associated global procurement network.
The DPRK must abandon its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner. We remain committed to diplomacy, as this is the only path toward an enduring peace. We urge the DPRK to accept the repeated invitations for dialogue, to abandon its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs, and to instead dedicate its resources to improving the lives of the DPRK people.
The DPRK has repeatedly demonstrated through both rhetoric and action its intent to advance its nuclear weapons delivery systems using ballistic missile technology. We urge all Security Council members to speak with a united voice in condemning this behavior.
We call on all Member States to implement fully all relevant Security Council resolutions, (including the prohibition on the supply, sale, or transfer to the DPRK or procurement from the DPRK of all arms and related materiel). This includes those measures aimed at addressing the DPRK’s sanctions-evasion activities in order to counter its unlawful WMD- and ballistic missile programs and associated global procurement network.
The DPRK must abandon its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner. We remain committed to diplomacy, as this is the only path toward an enduring peace. We urge the DPRK to accept the repeated invitations for dialogue, to abandon its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs, and to instead dedicate its resources to improving the lives of the DPRK people.