SEOUL, May 07 (AJP) - The United Nations Security Council will convene on Wednesday to address North Korea’s continued breaches of non-proliferation resolutions, amid growing concerns over its expanding military ties with Russia.
Seven member states -- South Korea, the United States, Denmark, France, Panama, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom -- requested the meeting.
Discussions are expected to focus on North Korea’s continued breaches of Security Council resolutions, particularly in the absence of the panel of experts under the North Korea Sanctions Committee. The panel ceased operations in April 2023 after Russia vetoed a resolution to extend its mandate.
Western members have criticized the panel’s termination, accusing Russia of attempting to conceal its military cooperation with Pyongyang. Since the panel’s dissolution, North Korea and Russia have signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty and have strengthened their military ties.
In October 2023, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported that approximately 12,000 North Korean troops had been deployed to Russia. North Korea denied the deployment for several months but officially acknowledged it last month.
Seoul has maintained its position that North Korea’s supply of weapons and dispatch of its military to Russia constitutes a clear violation of U.N. resolutions and poses a serious threat to international security. Russia has argued that North Korea’s deployment falls within the framework of its treaty with North Korea and does not breach international law.
Separately, 11 countries, including South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, launched a Multinational Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) in October 2023 to fill the gap left by the disbanded panel. The team is expected to release its first report soon.
reporter
Im Yoon-seo
lyseo0330@ajupress.com
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