North Korean shooting: UN refuses to tighten sanctions on China, Russia – 03/26/2022 at 07:35

Photo by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (c) by the North Korean news agency Kcna on March 25, 2022, in front of the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, at an undisclosed location in North Korea on March 24, 2022 (KCNA VIA KNS / STR).

International outrage over North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launching came against China and Russia’s refusal to strengthen sanctions against Pyongyang.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield condemned North Korea’s “increasingly dangerous provocations” during a Security Council meeting and announced that the United States would present a resolution “to strengthen the sanctions regime.” In 2017 during the previous North Korean ICBM release.

But Beijing and Moscow have rejected the hardening. Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun called for the “timely lifting of sanctions”, while Russian Ambassador Anna Evstikneva expressed concern that the strengthening of sanctions would “threaten North Korean citizens with social problems – economic and humanitarian unacceptable”.

Following the meeting, the three permanent members of the Security Council, a group of 15 countries, including Britain, France and the United States, but with the exception of China and Russia, issued a joint statement urging member states of the United Nations, especially members of the Council. , Do more.

“The DPRK is accelerating its provocative behavior and demonstrating its determination to pursue its weapons program – yet the Council remains silent,” the statement, signed by non-permanent members Brazil, Ireland and Norway, said. Security Council, Germany, Japan and South Korea.

Launched on Thursday, the missile flew higher and farther than the previous ICBM tested by the nuclear-armed nation.

Called the Hwasong-17, it is capable of striking any part of the United States and has landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

North Korean agency Kcna released a photo of the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile launched on March 24, 2022 at an undisclosed location in North Korea on March 25, 2022 (KCNA VIA KNS / STR).

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally ordered and supervised the test, promising that, according to the state news agency KCNA, the missile would “make (…) known to the world the power of our armed forces”.

He added that North Korea was “ready for a protracted confrontation with US imperialism.”

– “Violation” –

The G7 on Friday condemned the shooting, saying it was a “blatant violation” of North Korea’s commitment to the United Nations.

North Korean Missile Launch (AFP /)

“These irresponsible actions threaten regional and international peace and security, pose a dangerous and unpredictable threat to international civil aviation and maritime navigation, and demand a concerted response from the international community,” the foreign ministers of the seven members stressed. G7 and High Representative of the European Union.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told North Korea “of course there are other things” after the missile was fired.

The Hwasong-17, first released in October 2020 and dubbed the “Monster Missile” by researchers, had not been successfully tested before, and the launch triggered new U.S. sanctions.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in lamented that this was a break from the ban imposed on intercontinental ballistic missiles by President Kim Jong Un in 2017.

The South Korean military said it had retaliated by launching “ground, sea and air” missiles off its coast.

A photo released by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (c) on March 25, 2022, North Korea’s Kcna news agency, applauds as the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile is launched at an undisclosed location in North Korea on March 24, 2022. (KCNA Drook KNS / STR)

UN resolutions bar North Korea, which has been hit by severe international sanctions on its nuclear and weapons programs, from conducting ballistic missile tests, which have prevented Pyongyang from conducting about ten tests since the beginning of the year.

Although Washington and Seoul suspect that the North Korean regime tested some ICBM systems during these missiles, they are not intercontinental ballistic missiles until now.

Pyongyang launched three ICBM launches in 2017. The device, then tested, the Hwasong-15, was able to reach the United States.

– Failed last week –

According to Seoul, North Korea’s missile test ended in failure on March 16, shortly after launch, with a missile exploding in the sky above Pyongyang.

North Korea Missile Arsenal Data (AFP /)

Kim Jong Un said last year that improving the country’s military capability was a regime priority.

Priority Priorities: Creating an ICBM capable of carrying multiple conventional or nuclear weapons, each following an independent path, is difficult to intercept by anti-missile systems.