CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT DISCUSSES TENSIONS IN THE KOREAN PENINSULA

The Conference on Disarmament this morning discussed the continued missile launches by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the sources of tensions in the Korean Peninsula.

At the beginning of the meeting, Ambassador Fedor Rosocha of Slovakia, President of the Conference on Disarmament, said that the Presidency continued to reach out to Member States on a number of issues, including on the programme of work, and that effective consultations were being held with the Chair of the Working Group on the way ahead, Ambassador Htin Lynn of Myanmar.

The Presidency would continue to engage delegations with the view of moving forward in the right direction on a number of issues, said Ambassador Rosocha, and added that he had meet with the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, and briefed her on the state of play in the Conference.

In light of the continued provocations by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, including yet another missile launch last Thursday, the Republic of Korea took the floor to urge the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to cease immediately all provocations, which could only deepen its isolation and the economic deprivation of its people. The Republic of Korea reminded that the agreement for the denuclearization of the peninsula, which had entered into force 50 years ago, was a solemn commitment by “South and North Korea” to the international community, and reiterated that it had no intention of breaking its solemn commitment. There should be no mistake, the intention of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was to test the resolve of the Government of the Republic of Korea and the international community would respond to the provocations.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea said that “South Korea” was raising questions which revealed the lack of knowledge about the situation in the Peninsula, which was about the constant nuclear threat to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea by the United States, which had made it clear a long time ago that it would arm the Republic of Korea with nuclear weapons, to be ready in case of the second Korean war. The United States had declared the Democratic People's Republic of Korea a target of its pre-emptive strikes; this year alone, the United States had undertaken large military exercises that involved sufficient nuclear weapons to wage a war. The hostile policy and the nuclear war plan of the United States had become even more hostile, stressed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, adding that its access to nuclear deterrence was the inevitable result of the nuclear threats and blackmail.

Russian Federation said it was highly concerned by the increasingly frequent missile tests by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as such acts were only increasing tensions in the region. Russia had supported the adoption of the latest United Nations Security Council resolution 2356 on 2 June and reiterated its readiness to work together to solve nuclear and other problems of the Korean Peninsula. The increased presence of the United States in the Peninsula did not facilitate the establishment of the right conditions for the dialogue but could only lead to an increased potential for a conflict in this region, said Russia, and urged everyone to demonstrate restraint and work towards the military de-escalation of the situation.

United States said that the source of tensions on the Korean Peninsula came from one party, the regime in Pyongyang. The United States was not a threat to the regime - the threat to the regime came from the regime itself. The goal of the United States was the denuclearization of the Peninsula.

Republic of Korea reaffirmed that it would not compromise on matters of national security and that it would continue to pursue the complete denuclearization of the Peninsula through sanctions and dialogue.

Australia said that the numerous missile tests by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in 2017 were provocative and in violation of the Security Council resolutions. All States should press upon the Democratic People's Republic of Korea that its current stance was unsustainable.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea said that the United States was desperate to instigate sanctions against it. The recent withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement demonstrated that it only sought its own gain at the detriment of the planet and that it posed great danger in other areas as well, for example regarding the nuclear status on the Peninsula. The bullying by the United States would never work, while the military threat it posed would only serve as a momentum for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to develop its nuclear forces and capabilities.

United States said that the regime had carried out numerous ballistic missile tests and undertaken five nuclear tests, and it threatened its neighbours and global peace and security. This was the regime that was under several Security Council resolutions, and for it to claim that the United States was the source of tensions on the Peninsula was ridiculous. Everyone knew where the source of tensions originated. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea was isolated and its people deserved better than they were getting. The United States would stand together with its allies Japan and the Republic of Korea in their defence.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea said that the United States was turning a blind eye to missile and ballistic tests of other countries, and it then outlined a series of provocations by the United States. For example, a few months ago, it had carried out the largest ever military exercise in the region, following which it continued to keep an aircraft carrier in the waters of the Korean Peninsula and was upgrading its military capabilities in the region. It was clear that the United States was a source of tensions in the Korean Peninsula. Whatever the sanctions and the pressure, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea would not stand back from strengthening its nuclear capabilities to ensure its self-defence and the national existence.

The next public plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament will take place on Tuesday, 20 June, at 10 a.m.



For use of the information media; not an official record

DC17/023E